'This training comes at a critical time, as countries across the region grapple with significant challenges'
Twenty employers, government, and worker organisation representatives in Southeast Asia convened in Thailand last week for a training programme aimed at helping them carry out evidence-based policy-making.
The programme was organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and was held from December 9 to 13 in Bangkok.
The ILO said the programme wanted to provide participants with research-driven strategies to help them address critical labour market challenges, such as informal employment and youth unemployment.
"At the ILO, we believe that good policies are built on solid evidence. This training gives policymakers the tools to make informed decisions that can transform lives—ensuring fair wages, protecting migrant workers, and creating decent work opportunities for all," said Naren Prasad, Head of Education and Training at the ILO's Research Department (Geneva) and lead facilitator of the training, in a statement.
According to the ILO, sessions included during the five-day programme include:
"This training comes at a critical time, as countries across the region grapple with significant challenges, from rising inequalities and economic uncertainties to the lingering impacts of the pandemic," said Ken Chamuva Shawa, Senior Economist, ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, in a statement.
"Now more than ever, policies grounded in robust evidence are essential to addressing these issues and advancing social justice."
The training comes amid prevailing labour challenges across the world. A previous estimate from the ILO saw that global unemployment would hit 4.9% in 2024.
One in five youth worldwide were also classified under young people who are not in employment, education, or training in 2023.
