India to Host Global Seminar on Formalization & Social Security
The Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India, in collaboration with the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and International Social Security Association (ISSA), is organising two days Technical Seminar on the topic Formalisation and social security coverage for workers in the informal sector: Challenges and Innovations. Venue of the event is Yashobhoomi- India International Convention & Expo Centre, New Delhi- India.
The seminar will bring together policymakers, social security administrators, experts and practitioners of 40 social security organizations from more than 31 countries across Asia Pacific Regions. They will share ideas, strategies and solutions for formalisation of informal workers.
Prominent international organisations like World Bank, International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations (India), and Asian Development Bank will also be participating and would share their insights and perspectives.
Hon’ble Union Minister for Labour & Employment, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, Hon’ble Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Sushri Shobha Karandlaje and Secretary (Labour& Employment), Ms. Sumita Dawra will grace the inaugural session of this technical seminar.
The event will feature exchange of knowledge and experience sharing through technical discussion and sharing of countries’ best practices. The deliberations would enhance capacity of the constituents in the area of extending social protection to informal workers. Key themes include:
The seminar will focus on pathways to expand social security coverage, especially for marginalized and vulnerable groups. One of the key topics would be the formalization of informal workers and strategies needed to give them better access to social security benefits. Emphasis will also be given to the transformative role of technology, such as the e-Shram Portal, in improving the delivery of social protection. This digital transformation is essential to improve efficiency and access in delivering social security services to workers in the informal sector.
The seminar will highlight the theme of gender equality and empowerment, bringing attention to mainstreaming gender through the advancement of gender-inclusive social protection systems. These protection systems ensure balanced access to services and economic autonomy for women and girls. The theme will focus on creating systems which respond to the differentiated challenges of the female workforce.
It will discuss the strengthening of data collection and reporting mechanisms, which are critical to improving transparency, monitoring, and decision-making. Effective data collection frameworks will ensure accurate reporting, thereby enabling policymakers and administrators to better understand the needs of informal workers and design targeted interventions to protect them.
Ministries such as the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of External Affairs, NITI Aayog, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, and the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) will be key stakeholders in the seminar. Industry partners like CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, and NASSCOM will share their views and expertise, and participation from various States and Union Territories will also be taken into account.
The event will be held over two days. On Day 1, the technical discussions will be held on formalization and flexible pathways for providing social security to vulnerable workers, including those in difficult-to-cover groups. Day 2 will be focused on digital solutions for social protection delivery, communication strategies, enhancing gender equality, and strengthening data collection and reporting mechanisms. The role of medical care as part of the social security system will also be discussed.
