Webinar on promoting productive Employment and decent work during COVID-19 crisis in Uzbekistan

Wednesday 23 September 2020 from 21:30 to 22:30 Singapore time 

This webinar will be hosted on Zoom and will be open to the public after registration. Simultaneous translation between English and Russian will be available.

WEBINAR CONCEPT

This webinar will mark the launch of a new report by the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations of Uzbekistan (MELR) that details efforts to mitigate unemployment and underemployment during the COVID-19 crisis.

Labour minister Nozim Khusanov will be joined by Assistant ILO Director-General and Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Heinz Koller for a moderated discussion about the Uzbekistan’s response to COVID19 in accordance with four imperatives:

- Protect Workers: Protect the rights of workers and limit the spread of the virus in the workplace;

- Sustain Jobs and Incomes: Help employers to retain workers and support the unemployed;

- Create New Opportunities: Provide grants, subsidies, training and temporary public employment;

- Unify Communities: Build resilience by working hand-in-hand with communities.

The discussion will examine a range of response measures undertaken by the Ministry to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19, facilitate strong and fast labour market recovery and how the learnings and experience of this crisis response will inform the continued efforts to provide productive employment and decent work in Uzbekistan. The participation of senior leadership and technical experts from the ILO will help place Uzbekistan’s efforts to support the labour market in a regional and global context.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this webinar is to enable a dialogue among multiple stakeholder groups regarding MELR’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. By informing a wider range of stakeholders about the interventions undertaken to support the labour market, MELR seeks to encourage further exchange of views and experiences in order to ensure optimal policy implementation during the crisis recovery. In this way, the webinar is part of the ministry’s ongoing capacity building efforts. Through engagement with members of local and international media, the webinar also serves as an opportunity to share the details of the forthcoming report with the wider public.

PARTICIPANTS

The discussion will be of interest for those persons interested in Uzbekistan’s COVID-19 response, in the state of the Uzbek economy, labor market and in issues related to state-society relations in the country. Participants in this webinar will include stakeholders from the Government of Uzbekistan and international organizations as well as members of the local and international media, members of the business community, members of civil society groups, and members of the general public. The webinar will explore issues related to MELR’s COVID19 response for a non-technical audience.

SPEAKERS

- Nozim Khusanov, Minister of Employment and Labour Relations;

- Heinz Koller, Assistant ILO Director-General and Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia;

- Erkin Mukhitdinov, First Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations;

- Olga Koulaeva, Director, ILO DWT and Country Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia;

- Contributors from MELR and ILO who will share technical insights.

MODERATOR

Jennifer Murtazashvili, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh.

AGENDA

15:30 – 15:45 – Welcome and opening comments from Nozim Khusanov and Heinz Koller

15:45 – 16:00 – Report presentation by Erkin Mukhitdinov

16:00 – 16:05 – Comments and reactions from Olga Koulaeva

16:05 – 16:30 – Questions from the moderator, Jennifer Murtazashvili, and from members of the audience

16:30 – Close

FURTHER INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION

For registration, please go through the following link: https://mailchi.mp/40cd4980cafb/uzbekistan-ministry-of-labor-covid-19-response-webinar