المملكة: “International Work” praises the Kingdom’s role in leading the future of the global labor market

The Director General of the International Labor Organization, Gilbert Hongoo, praised the leadership role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in leading the future of the global labor market, noting the comprehensive reforms it implemented within the Kingdom’s 2030 vision to enhance the appropriate work environment, raise the competitiveness of the market and achieve sustainable economic development.
He explained in a statement during his participation in the International Labor Market Conference 2025 in Riyadh, that the Kingdom has succeeded in developing the labor market through a series of specific reforms, which included improving labor laws, enhancing professional safety and health standards, and supporting employment of youth and women, which makes it a global model in building work environments Modern and developed.

Saudi leadership

He said: “What the Kingdom is doing today reflects a clear commitment to finding a more flexible and fair labor market, which is in line with the international standards that we all seek to achieve,” stressing the Kingdom’s commitment to localizing jobs, empowering women, and investing in developing skills that reflects positively on the provision Sustainable job opportunities and enhance economic growth.
He pointed out that the Kingdom’s adoption of the national policy to eliminate compulsory work reflects its firm commitment to international work standards, and places it in the ranks of leading countries in strengthening fair and fair work environments.
The Director General of the International Labor Organization, the Kingdom’s leadership in the digital transformation and its efforts in facing the challenges of climate change, noted that its investments in modern technologies and the promotion of sustainability give it an opportunity to lead global efforts in achieving a “fair transition” towards a sustainable economy that balances development and social justice.

He pointed out that the Kingdom’s investments in digitization and modern technologies are not only limited to improving the efficiency of the labor market, but also contribute to creating more attractive and sustainable work environments, which represents a model to follow globally.
He drew attention to the fact that the Kingdom is a strategic partner in international efforts to promote social justice and achieve comprehensive growth, noting the organization’s cooperation with the Kingdom in several areas, including occupational safety and health, align skills with the needs of the labor market, and enhancing social protection, stressing that the Saudi experience can To form a role model for other countries to update labor markets.
Hongoo explained that the international conference on the labor market embraces by the capital, Riyadh, provides an essential platform for the main stakeholders in the labor sector, to interact in a meaningful dialogue on challenges and urgent opportunities in the global labor market today.
He said: “The priorities of the International Labor Organization include addressing inequality, enhancing comprehensive growth, promoting decent work, enhancing social protection, and addressing variable dynamics in the labor market resulting from digitization, climate work, fair transition efforts, and demographic changes.”

Treating Arab unemployment

He stressed that strengthening social justice is not only an ethical duty but also an economic necessity, as it contributes to achieving stability, integration and sustainable growth, noting at the same time, that the International Labor Market Conference in Riyadh is closely compatible with these priorities, especially in addressing issues such as creating jobs And fair work practices, and the workforce is adapted to a world that changes rapidly.
On the unemployment processing file in the Arab countries, the Director General of the International Labor Organization stressed that the response to youth unemployment requires a multi -dimensional approach, which includes investing in good education and vocational training appropriate to the needs of the labor market, enhancing entrepreneurship, and providing more opportunities for fruitful and purposeful work, indicating that Until the global youth unemployment rates have decreased to its lowest level in 15 years, the global youth recruitment trends report issued by the International Labor Organization indicates a 1 percent increase in youth unemployment in the Arab countries.
He stressed the need to align education systems with market requirements and provide more fruitful and purposeful job opportunities, as young people led, with the support of the United Nations and initiatives such as “decent youth jobs”, can play a pivotal role in addressing the transition from school to the labor market, and enhancing leadership Business and improvement of employment opportunities.

Regarding the challenges imposed by digital transformations at the workplace and ways to address them, Hongoes said: Digital transformations provide opportunities to provide jobs, increase productivity, and promote innovation, but they offer challenges, including loss of jobs, unstable forms of work, and incompatibility between skills, Impairment in accessing technology, calling on governments and employers to invest in lifelong learning programs, ensure fair access to digital technologies, and adopt policies that support workers during these transformations.
Merging the elements of decent work into digital policies and strategies is necessary to ensure that digital transformations enhance comprehensive, fair and sustainable work markets, in addition to the necessity of reforming traditional social protection systems and labor laws in order to comply with the changing nature of work as a result of digitization.
The Director General of the International Labor Organization stressed that gender equality is one of the basic elements of the International Labor Organization mission, as the International Labor Organization is working to implement a transformational agenda for gender equality and equality in treatment and opportunities for all, and this includes reducing the gender wage gap and enhancing decent work In the economy of care, ending violence and harassment in the world of work.
He said: “Ensuring that women obtain maternal protection, provide supporting environments for workers with family responsibilities by introducing measures such as flexible work arrangements and maternity and paternity vacations, and enhancing decent work for workers in the field of care, including domestic workers, is very important, certain The importance of partnerships with governments and companies in the Arab Gulf region and abroad, to push this agenda forward, and in this context, the Kingdom adopts new legislation to create mandatory motherhood insurance for workers from citizens and residents, which is a major step to support the employment of women and enhance equality in the labor market.

Social justice

On the “Global Alliance for Social Justice” initiative, and the areas of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s contribution to it, Hongo explained that the initiative launched by the International Labor Organization represents a platform to enhance international cooperation to address unends, promote decent work and push social justice in the world.
The coalition brings together more than 300 entities, including governments, employers and workers, in addition to international organizations, academics and other interest owners, with the aim of developing innovative solutions for global challenges such as unemployment, lack of social protection, gender gaps and variable dynamics in the labor market.
The transformative agenda of the Kingdom’s 2030 vision has placed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in a distinguished location that enables it to perform a prominent role in the alliance, as the ambitious labor market reforms in the Kingdom and efforts are to enhance the comprehensiveness of the workforce and investments in education and skills development, valuable examples that can provide virtuous visions and practices for society The global, in addition to the Kingdom’s strategic leadership in organizing international forums such as the International Labor Market Conference in line with the coalition mission to enhance cooperative work for a more fair and comprehensive global economy.

The Director General of the International Labor Organization explained that occupational safety and health, including protection from violence and harassment, is an essential part of ensuring decent work and protecting the welfare of workers.
He noted the great progress made by the Kingdom in improving occupational safety and health standards in recent years, especially through the reforms of the labor market and the Kingdom’s 2030 vision initiatives, including the adoption of a national policy and strategy for occupational safety and health, the establishment of a national council for occupational safety and health, and the development of a modern national system To register and report work injuries and diseases, stressing the organization’s commitment to supporting the Kingdom in building a culture of protection and excellence in the field of occupational safety and health.
At the end of his statement, Hongoo called on the participants in the International Labor Market Conference to exploit this opportunity for dialogue and cooperation, stressing that the future of the labor market depends on collective efforts to enhance decent work, achieve social justice, and support global sustainable development.