zVIENTIANE, April 20 (Xinhua) -- ASEAN senior labor officials met here Thursday, discussing transition from informal employment to formal employment towards decent work promotion in ASEAN.
The Special Meeting for the Development of the Action Plan of Vientiane Declaration on Transition from Informal Employment to Formal Employment towards Decent Work Promotion in ASEAN is a significant part in creating opportunities for more employment in informal sectors as well as to address development between urban and rural areas, Lao Deputy Director of Planning and International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, Chomyeng Phengthongsavvath, said at the opening ceremony.
This initiative is also to improve the potential of the private sector such as innovation, diversification of labor skills, new knowledge for the labor force and registration of business sectors in order to create favorable conditions for business income generation and poverty elimination in the ASEAN region, said the Lao official.
In addition, the Transition from Informal Employment to Formal Employment towards Decent Work Promotion in ASEAN will promote effective and sound policies and mechanisms to support production activities, facilitating employment, promoting micro, small and medium-sized enterprise development including accessibility to financial services, reported Lao News Agency (KPL) on Thursday.
The main objective is to protect worker benefits in the informal sector with regard to security, workers' well-being, and proper working environments for workers including migrant workers, especially women and those working in high-risk and hazardous environments to be able to access necessary treatment and secure basic income. Worker benefits are to be taken into consideration as first priority, KPL quoted the official as saying.
