THE Brunei Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DPPMB) recently participated in the 16th Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting (APRM) held from December 6 – 9 in Bali, Indonesia.
The regional meeting, which is held every five years, brought together the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) tripartite constituents comprising representatives from government as well as employers’ and workers’ organisations from Asia, the Pacific and the Gulf and Arab States comprising around 48 countries and territories.
Present during the opening ceremony of the 16th APRM was the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Muhammad Jusuf Kalla.
According to DPPMB’s official representative Secretary of Welfare Nur Judy binti Abdullah, the meeting deliberated on measures to promote inclusive and job-rich growth in response to the ILO’s Director-General’s report on ‘Building an Inclusive Future with Decent Work: Towards Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific’ in line with ILO’s vision for realising decent work from 2016 to 2021. Several agenda items were discussed through plenary sessions, dialogues and debates such as inclusive growth for social justice, skills for the future, and strengthening social dialogues for inclusive and sustainable growth as well as fair migration with focus on recruitment.
A final review of progress made during the Asian Decent Work Decade was undertaken to assess the evolving economic, social and environmental circumstances as well as to identify challenges in further expediting the realisation of the Decent Work Agenda in the region.
Nur Judy shared that the ILO member states supported the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with emphasis on the sustainable development goal that promotes an inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. Best practices and challenges in the region on creating decent and productive jobs, guaranteeing rights at work, extending social protection and promoting social dialogues were shared among the participants.
The exchange of documents after the signing of the MoU between DPPMB’s official representative Secretary of Welfare, Nur Judy binti Abdullah and the Secretary General of CFEBA, Sok Lor.
ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder in a group photo with senior women delegates during the 16th APRM. – PHOTOS: DPPMB
Improving women participation in APRM as well as involvement in decision-making processes in ILO official meetings were discussed during a side event hosted exclusively for APRM’s senior women delegates by ILO Director-General Guy Ryder.
Nur Judy noted that the Asia and the Pacific region, one of the world’s most diverse regions, registered the largest gender gap of 39 per cent during the last APRM meeting compared to 12 per cent both in Europe and America and eight per cent in Africa. “We deliberated on ideas and recommendations on what ILO can do to accelerate progress in increasing women’s voices in high-level meetings of ILO,” she added.
The regional meeting provided a unique opportunity for tripartite constituents of ILO member countries to conduct bilateral meetings and sign their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Nur Judy said that an MoU between Cambodian Federation of Employers and Business Associations (CFEBA) and Brunei Darussalam National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BDNCCI) was signed to develop contacts between the organisations as a means of contributing to the development of trade and economic relations between Brunei Darussalam and Cambodia.
Signing on behalf of the President of the BDNCCI was Nur Judy while Sok Lor, Secretary General of CFEBA, signed on behalf of the association’s president.
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