G20 ministers call for strong social protection systems amid crisis

Group of 20 (G20) labour and employment ministers called on Thursday for strong social protection systems to support all workers and their families during crisis and recovery, reported Xinhua.

They highlighted during a virtual meeting the systems should cover self-employed and informal employment, according to a statement by the G20 Saudi Presidency.

"We recognize the importance of protecting and promoting decent jobs for all, especially for women and youth, within our domestic and global labor markets," the officials said in their ministerial declaration.

The ministers vowed to support all workers experiencing job losses.

They have requested the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to carry further analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on global labor.

To reduce the gap between women and men in labor market, the officials vowed to tackle the various barriers faced by women.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the G20 countries have been holding regular meetings to deal with impacts of the deadly virus in various sectors.

During the G20 leaders' summit in March, the G20 leaders vowed to pump more than 5 trillion U.S. dollars into the international economy.