BRICS Nations Push for Inclusive Labour Reforms, Social Security Expansion at Employment Summit

Opening the meeting, Secretary (Labour & Employment), Government of India, Ms Vandana Gurnani highlighted the unprecedented changes reshaping the future of work across BRICS economies.

The 2nd BRICS Employment Working Group (EWG) Meeting under India's Presidency concluded in Thiruvananthapuram with member nations intensifying cooperation on some of the most pressing labour market challenges facing the global economy, including social security expansion, women's workforce participation, youth employability and future-ready skills development.

The high-level meeting brought together delegations from BRICS member countries — China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates — alongside global knowledge partners including:

• International Labour Organization (ILO)

• International Social Security Association (ISSA)

• United Nations India

The discussions reflected growing concern among emerging economies over the rapid transformation of labour markets driven by artificial intelligence, digitalisation, green transitions, demographic shifts and the explosive expansion of gig and platform work.

India Calls for Inclusive Labour Systems in Era of AI and Digital Transformation

Opening the meeting, Secretary (Labour & Employment), Government of India, Ms Vandana Gurnani highlighted the unprecedented changes reshaping the future of work across BRICS economies.

She warned that technological acceleration, artificial intelligence, climate-linked economic transitions and evolving employment models are fundamentally transforming labour markets globally.

"Technological acceleration, artificial intelligence, the green transition, demographic shifts, and the rapid expansion of gig and platform work are redefining labour markets across all BRICS nations," Gurnani said.

She stressed that BRICS nations carry a shared responsibility to ensure that:

• Social protection systems evolve rapidly

• Women's labour force participation expands

• Skills ecosystems become future-ready

• Digital technologies drive inclusion rather than inequality

The first day of the summit focused on three major priority areas:

1. Social security and labour market formalisation

2. Women's workforce participation and inclusion

3. Employability, skills mapping and skills development

BRICS Pushes for Expanded Social Protection Coverage

One of the most significant outcomes of the meeting was the strong consensus among member states on expanding social security systems to cover vulnerable and informal workers.

During discussions on Priority Area I, delegates agreed that a progressive increase in social protection coverage across BRICS countries is both achievable and urgently necessary.

Officials noted that despite major progress in several countries, significant gaps remain in coverage for:

• Informal workers

• Self-employed individuals

• Gig economy workers

• Platform-based labour

• Temporary and contract workers

Since BRICS nations collectively represent a major share of the global workforce, delegates emphasised that cooperation among member countries could have a substantial global impact on labour welfare and social protection systems.

The discussions highlighted the importance of:

• Knowledge sharing

• Peer learning

• Technical cooperation

• Capacity building

• Exchange of policy best practices

Proposed BRICS Social Security Forum Gains Strong Support

A key proposal that gained broad support was the creation of a:

BRICS Capacity Building Forum on Advancing Social Security

The proposed forum is expected to focus on:

• Data architecture for labour systems

• Technical exchanges on extending coverage

• Solutions for gig and informal workers

• Development of tools to identify protection gaps

• Digital frameworks for social security delivery

Experts say the initiative could become an important platform for helping emerging economies modernise labour protection systems amid rapidly changing employment structures.

Women's Workforce Participation Remains Major Development Priority

The second major focus area involved increasing women's participation and inclusion in labour markets across BRICS economies.

Delegates acknowledged that although several BRICS nations have made progress in women's employment participation, structural barriers continue to restrict equal economic opportunities.

Countries advocated for stronger policy frameworks aimed at:

• Increasing women's participation in high-growth sectors

• Supporting women's leadership pathways

• Improving workplace inclusion

• Strengthening economic empowerment initiatives

• Addressing systemic gender barriers

Delegates called for pragmatic and evidence-based policy approaches supported through:

• Voluntary cooperation

• Best-practice sharing

• National policy flexibility

• Inclusive growth strategies

Experts say boosting women's labour force participation remains critical for:

• Economic growth

• Productivity expansion

• Poverty reduction

• Social development

• Inclusive prosperity

BRICS Moves Toward Skills and Qualification Alignment

Discussions under Priority Area III focused heavily on employability, skills intelligence and future workforce readiness.

Delegates agreed that accelerating technological change is creating an urgent need for stronger cooperation on:

• Skills mapping

• Qualification comparability

• Vocational education systems

• Digital skills

• Green economy skills

• Care economy workforce development

The proposed framework seeks to improve:

• Skills intelligence systems

• Cross-border qualification recognition

• Labour mobility

• Workforce adaptability

• Knowledge exchange on emerging sectors

Member states emphasised that closer alignment between:

• Qualification frameworks

• Skills taxonomies

• Vocational training systems

would help reduce:

• Skills mismatches

• Labour shortages

• Employment barriers

• Workforce inefficiencies

Youth Employability and NEET Reduction in Sharp Focus

With youth unemployment emerging as a growing global concern, BRICS countries also discussed strategies to improve youth employability and reduce the number of young people classified as NEET — Not in Education, Employment or Training.

Delegates proposed expanding:

• Apprenticeships

• Internships

• Entrepreneurship programmes

• Vocational education pathways

• Skills development initiatives for vulnerable youth

Officials stressed that targeted interventions for NEET populations are becoming increasingly important as automation and technological disruption reshape traditional labour markets.

South-South Cooperation Emerges as Central Theme

Throughout the summit, member states participated in extensive knowledge-sharing sessions highlighting innovative labour reforms and employment initiatives from their respective countries.

Delegations exchanged:

• Policy experiences

• Workforce inclusion models

• Social protection reforms

• Skills development programmes

• Employment innovation strategies

The collaborative spirit of:

• Mutual learning

• South-South cooperation

• Shared development goals

was widely praised by participating countries.

BRICS Strengthening Role in Global Labour Governance

The meeting highlighted the growing role of BRICS as a platform for shaping labour governance and employment cooperation among major emerging economies.

Analysts note that BRICS nations collectively account for:

• A substantial portion of the global population

• Major shares of the world's labour force

• Rapidly evolving digital economies

• Expanding green industrial sectors

As global labour markets undergo deep transformation, experts say cooperation on:

• Social security

• Skills systems

• Workforce inclusion

• Youth employment

• Digital transition

is becoming increasingly strategic for emerging economies.

India Expands Leadership Role in Global Employment Dialogue

India's leadership of the BRICS Employment Working Group reflects the country's growing role in shaping global conversations around:

• Inclusive economic growth

• Labour market transformation

• Digital employment systems

• Workforce resilience

• Social protection innovation

Officials said the outcomes of the Thiruvananthapuram meeting are expected to contribute toward stronger long-term BRICS cooperation frameworks capable of addressing future labour market disruptions and promoting inclusive development.

Delegates concluded the meeting expressing confidence that the proposed initiatives and collaborative mechanisms would strengthen resilience, inclusion and sustainable growth across BRICS economies.