Islamabad, In a significant development, Mr. Jawad Sohrab Malik, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, met with Ms. Chihoko Asada-Miyakawa, Assistant Director-General & Regional Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO), to discuss a joint path towards enhancing social justice and ensuring decent work in Pakistan.

According to Ministry of Overseas Pakistani and Human Resource Development, the meeting, held at the Ministry in Islamabad, focused on the commitment of the Government of Pakistan to the Global Coalition for Social Justice and Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection. SAPM Malik expressed the government’s dedication to achieving the goal of Decent Work for all and stressed the importance of collaborative efforts for this purpose.

During the discussions, SAPM Malik lauded the ILO’s initiatives, especially its work on the national skills passport, and expressed support for scaling this initiative. He highlighted the need for human capital development and skills training, particularly for women, to bridge gender disparities in the workforce.

The ILO showed a keen interest in assisting the Government of Pakistan in formulating a national roadmap for safe, fair, and inclusive labor migration. Both parties acknowledged the critical role of labor migration in the globalized world and committed to creating a work environment that protects the rights and well-being of workers.

Ms. Asada-Miyakawa, from the ILO, commended the Government of Pakistan for its dedication to labor issues and emphasized the necessity of strong partnerships to effectively tackle challenges and seize opportunities in labor migration.

This meeting signifies a crucial step in the collaboration between the Government of Pakistan and the ILO. It underscores a shared vision to foster social justice, promote decent work, and safeguard the welfare of workers in Pakistan. SAPM Malik assured the ILO delegation of Pakistan’s ongoing cooperation and joint efforts in achieving these critical goals.