Virtual Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement, May 30, 2022

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   بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم

 

Statement

by

H.E. Mr. Hojatollah Abdolmaleki

Minister of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare

Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Virtual Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)

May 30, 2022

 

Your Excellencies;

Distinguished Delegates;

Ladies and Gentlemen;

 

At the outset, I would like to express my profound appreciation to the Government of Azerbaijan for organizing this event. 

The world of work is transitioning into the post-Covid-19 age, a time when the medium- and longterm effects of the crisis are becoming apparent in a variety of spheres of people's work and life. We have all witnessed how the differential access of countries to vaccines exacerbated the inequalities in the world of work within and between countries during the Covid-19 pandemic. During the recovery phase of the crisis, there are greater risks of intensified inequalities and social justice setbacks. Differential timing in terms of departing the pandemic stage through vaccination as well as in the implementation of recovery plans, is a novel and major mechanism for the inequalities to grow further. Here, the Non-aligned Movement could take a significant step toward establishing a platform for more effective collaboration and experience exchange among member states.

Distinguished Delegates;

Effective implementation of Global call to action for a human-centered recovery from the Covid-19 crisis requires genuine participation of the developing countries in the design and implementation of the initiatives envisaged there. To this end, the ILO decision-making system needs to be revised in order to ensure the countries’ equal right to participate in the decision making process. The fact is that the current framework of ILO regional grouping is neither fair in terms of 

representing the size of the labour force in regions, nor in terms of the countries’ constitiotional right to involve in the decision making of the organization. 

 

Excellencies;

The new data on rising child labour, widening economic inequalities within and among countries, and escalating global poverty, especially after Covid-19 outbreak, are also alarming. Parallel to the constructive measures performed by governments, workers, and employers to improve social justice in the world, the neglect of some elements has exacerbated injustice throughout the globe. One of these factors is undoubtedly the unilateral coercive measures, or simply the targeted planning, to deny a nation, a country or a group of its right to development by powerful states over the past decades. Of course, beyond denouncing such measures against the human rights by the oppressive powers, the NAM Member States are expected to put in agenda taking measures to stop the anti-human and anti-development impacts of such actions.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen; 

What is being experienced these days by the oppressed Palestinian people is not hidden to anyone. Just watching how they suffer and how hardships are imposed on these people hurts the heart of every noble human being. When the security of their lives, property and assets is openly violated, it is not far beyond normal expectations what is happening to their economic activities, labour market and livelihood. Therefore, such brutal acts of humanity must end immediately and the rights of the Palestinian people and other occupied territories, including the Syrian Golan, must be recognized for a decent living.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate the crucial role of the Non-Aligned Movement to realize more effective cooperation among developing countries and to facilitate mobilization of more vital resources for the human-centered recovery of the world of work from the Covid-19 crisis.

 

Thank You.