Belize City, November 28, 2023.
The Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour, and Local Government is hosting a three-day validation workshop for the Decent Work Country Diagnostic from November 28 to 30 in Belize City.
The Diagnostic is a key step in the design phase of a new Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) for Belize. It is an evidence-based objective assessment and analysis of the country’s situation, which specifically focuses on identifying key decent work deficits and scope for time-bound interventions, guided by decent work and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicators. The Diagnostic looks closely at jobs and enterprises, rights at work, social protection, and social dialogue.
The workshop involves consultations with the tripartite constituents, namely, the government, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize, and other key stakeholders.
The DWCP is a strategic framework that outlines the priorities and outcomes for decent work in a country. It aligns with the national development plan and the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) normative standards. The DWCP is developed through a participatory and tripartite process, which involves the government, employers, workers’ organizations, and other relevant stakeholders. It is expected to enhance the coordination and coherence among development partners and planning frameworks and will contribute to achieving the SDGs.
ILO supported the development Belize’s second DWCP in May 2023, following the expiration of the previous DWCP implemented from 2009 to 2015. The ILO agreed to provide support and conducted a mission in July 2023, involving meetings with the tripartite constituents and United Nations agency partners.
The Ministry of Labour is committed to the development of a new DWCP as it will provide a strategic and coherent framework for advancing decent work and social justice in Belize, especially in the context of the changing economic, social, and labour landscape and the impacts of globalization, technological advancements, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The validation of the Diagnostic Report is expected to be followed by the drafting of the DWCP document and the validation and approval by the tripartite constituents. The DWCP is expected to be launched in early 2024.
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For more information, please contact:
Ginee Neal
Public Relations Officer
Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour, and Local Government
g.neal@labour.gov.bz
