Creating full and productive employment and decent work for all as a way of overcoming inequalities to accelerate the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
New York, 10 February 2023
Madame Chair,
Allow me to congratulate you and the Bureau on your election and wish you every success on your work.
Firstly, I would like to express our heartfelt condolences to the families of all those lost their loved ones in the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, and wish speedy recovery to all those injured.
Cyprus fully aligns with the statement delivered by the European Union. I would like to make some additional remarks in my national capacity.
This year’s Session of the Commission on Social Development is overshadowed by the ongoing economic and employment consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Inequalities in the labour market have been deepened and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda has been undermined. Cyprus stands firmly behind the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development: a prosperous post-pandemic future can only be possible if we reach our SDG targets to transform our world.
The road to address socio-economic inequalities is through full and productive employment. Decent work and respect of international labour standards should be considered a sine qua non for the efforts to achieve economic recovery in the post pandemic era. Let us not forget that the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as well as other relevant international human rights law instruments, recognize work as a human right.
Adoption of effective strategies to create full and productive employment and decent work for all, is a prerequisite. With an aim to create more inclusive and adaptable labour market, Cyprus is developing a comprehensive Strategy for the design and implementation of active employment policy measures. Social cohesion is a key factor for a well-functioning social market economy and has been incorporated in several of our policies. The challenges addressed due to covid-19 pandemic have now been adopted as structural and permanent policies contributing to a sustainable and equitable recovery. Emphasis has been given in promoting equal opportunities for all, especially women and youth, taking into consideration green transition and the greening of the economy.
It is our firm belief that green transition is leading to more sustainable economies. Greening the economy requires major restructuring and investments that have a direct impact to the employment as well. New employment opportunities are expected to develop in various sectors therefore emphasis should be given on upskilling and reskilling policies and strategies.
Madame Chair,
The covid-19 pandemic has aggravated structural deficiencies and inequalities in the labour market. Though, we now have a great window of opportunity to overcome these challenges and address inequalities by creating a more inclusive, equitable and adaptable labour market that will respect human rights, ensure gender equality and non-discrimination. In an interdependent and globalized world, this should be our common goal, based on solidarity and shared responsibility.
Thank you