BRICS labour ministers deliberate on social security, skilling under India's chairship in Hyderabad
Hyderabad, July 15
The 12th BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting commenced in Hyderabad on Wednesday under India's BRICS Chairship 2026.
Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya chaired deliberations alongside Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje, Labour Ministers and senior officials from BRICS countries.
The discussions are centred on four priority areas identified under India's Chairship -- advancing social security and formalisation of labour markets, enhancing women's participation and inclusion in the workforce, cooperation on employability, skills mapping and development, and leveraging digital technologies for all workers, including gig and platform workers.
The meeting follows the Third BRICS Employment Working Group (EWG) Meeting held in Hyderabad on July 13-14, where member countries exchanged best practices and national experiences across the same four priority areas.
According to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Working Group also concluded discussions on a draft declaration, which is expected to be placed before the ministers for consideration and adoption during the Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting.
The meeting is being held under India's BRICS Chairship theme, "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability (BRICS)," and brings together Labour Ministers and senior officials from BRICS member countries to discuss cooperation on labour market and employment issues.
The ministry said the deliberations are expected to focus on practical and replicable policy approaches to strengthen social protection, improve workforce skills, expand women's participation in the labour force and leverage digital technologies to improve worker welfare, including for gig and platform workers.
The Hyderabad meeting is expected to further strengthen cooperation among BRICS countries and contribute to forward-looking policy outcomes on labour, employment and workforce development through continued dialogue and knowledge sharing.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally, they're discussing women's participation in the workforce seriously. In India, we still have a long way to go. Hope the BRICS framework helps push policies for better maternity benefits and safe workplaces.
Good initiative but these BRICS meets often end up as photo ops. Let's see if the skilling and digital tech parts actually translate to ground-level change for our youth. The government needs to focus on implementation.
Interesting to see BRICS focusing on gig workers. In Canada too, platform workers are pushing for protections. India leading this conversation is significant for Global South cooperation. Let's hope for a strong declaration.
The theme 'Building for Resilience' is spot on. Post-pandemic, social security nets are crucial. But we need more than declarations - actual budget allocations and digital infrastructure for workers in rural India too. 🤔
Having worked in labour policy, I appreciate the comprehensive approach - social security, skilling, women's inclusion, and digital tech. India's chairship seems well-organized. The real test will be how BRICS countries adopt these frameworks domestically.
As a woman in tech, I'm glad they're discussing digital skills for all workers. But let's also talk about the digital divide - many women in
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