Minister of Home Affairs Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ahmaddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman highlighted Brunei Darussalam’s ongoing commitment and initiatives through a whole-of-government approach to support the advancement of social justice and ensuring fairness in the workplace by aligning with the ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection and adhere to the international standards and policies to protect the basic human rights and vulnerable groups.
He also stated, “The ratification of the Forced Labour Convention 1930, Number 29 will significantly accelerate our progress towards achieving social justice, aligning with the aspirations of this summit in reforming and dismantling social injustice and inequalities, particularly in a work conflict.”
The minister said this during the plenary session on June 13, delivering a country statement in response to International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Director-General Gilbert F Houngbo’s report of Advancing Social Justice.
The minister attended the 111th Session of International Labour Conference (ILC) and World of Work Summit: Social Justice For All held on June 12-15 at Palais des Nations and ILO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
The conference gathered tripartite representatives from government, employers and workers of ILO’s member states. The tripartite body discussed issues such as a just transition towards sustainability and inclusive economies, quality apprenticeship and labour protection as well as the report delivered by the ILO director-general regarding advancing social justice.
Brunei Darussalam also deposited the Instrument of Ratification of the Forced Labour Convention C029 to the ILO assistant director-general on June 12 to reaffirm the government’s steadfast commitment to upholding the values and ideals encapsulated within the convention. It signified a milestone in the government ongoing endeavours to safeguard the rights of workers and combat the abhorrent acts of forced labour and human trafficking.
Prior to the plenary statement, the minister attended the ASEAN Labour Ministers’ breakfast meeting hosted by the Indonesian Minister of Manpower at the Beau-Rivage Hotel Geneva.
The meeting was also attended by the ILO director-general and several other ASEAN member countries.
The meeting served as an annual platform for ASEAN ministers to discuss issues pertaining to labour market challenges and development as well as explore widening the cooperation between ASEAN and ILO.
The minister also attended the Asia Pacific Group Ministers’ (ASPAG) Meeting on June 13 and exchanged views on the theme ‘Promoting social justice through decent work in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic’.
In his statement, the minister highlighted the initiatives taken by the Sultanate to ensure universal access to essential services, amenities, and opportunities for socio-economic advancement, emphasising the importance of promoting social justice through decent work as an essential pillar of recovery efforts in the aftermath of the pandemic.
He also stated, “To address this, Brunei has recognised the importance of equipping its citizens with the necessary skills for the future of work.
“Brunei has also focussed on upskilling the workforce that aligns education and training programmes with the needs of various sectors.
“One initiative, the iLEAP programme, offers technical upskilling in areas like marking-fitting, scaffolding, rigging, and blasting-painting.”
The World of Work Summit convened on June 14-15 at the Palais des Nations, United Nations headquarters serving as a global forum focussing on the importance of coordinated action to promote social justice. The summit aims to forge a global coalition for social justice and highlights the role of social justice in creating a sustainable world by minimising inequality in the working world.
During the summit, the importance of investments in lifelong learning through education and training was emphasised. Collaborative efforts between the government, enterprises, and individuals were identified as critical to economic and employment growth strategies.
The skills taught should be flexible and responsive to rapidly changing skill requirements, necessitating coherent policies that recognise the crosscutting nature of these skills, which are vital for local and regional development across various trades and industries.
Inclusive social dialogues between the government and relevant agencies are essential to ensure equitable access to education and skills, thereby advancing social justice for labour force and everyone.
The conference and summit were also attended by Permanent Secretary (Safety and Welfare) at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) Salminan bin Haji Burut; Head of Manpower Planning and Employment Council Secretariat at the Prime Minister’s Office Dr Hajah Siti Haziah binti Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin; Commissioner of Labour and officers from MoHA and Labour Department Muhammad Saufi bin Haji Ibrahim; President of National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Brunei Darussalam as Employer’s representative Haji Abdul Salam bin Haji Ahmad; and Deputy President of the Seafarer Association as Worker’s representative Mohammad Fadhullah bin Haji Suhaili.
