Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to the Commission and our speakers.
Worker empowerment is seen as a crucial factor for sustainable economic growth, inclusive international development, promoting human rights, democratic resilience, fair competition, and a strong middle class. The importance of labor rights extends to national and economic security and an effective foreign policy that supports women. The collective voice of women workers, their leadership, and trade union rights are deemed essential for economic security and actions aimed at reducing poverty globally.
The Biden-Harris Administration emphasizes safeguarding high labor standards by bringing workers' voices into discussions and enforcing rules against unfair labor practices such as forced labor and denial of the right to organize.
The United States promotes inclusive labor markets focusing on the needs of women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQI+ individuals, and other underserved communities. The administration engages with external stakeholders including workers, labor organizations, trade unions, civil society groups, employers, and government officials.
Efforts are underway to develop joint approaches to address specific labor issues. This includes tackling labor abuses and advancing worker empowerment through cooperation with allies in bilateral settings and multilateral organizations like the International Labor Organization (ILO), other UN agencies, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Participation in international forums related to economic matters, human rights, security is prioritized to advance proposals addressing violence against workers. Issues such as intimidation, blacklisting, red-tagging gender-based violence disproportionately affect women workers along with union leaders both online and offline.
A question was posed regarding specific steps that panelists believe can support worker empowerment while fostering inclusive labor markets. Addressing abuses that hinder women's workforce participation was also highlighted.
Gender equality is described as a cross-cutting enabler for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 1 on Ending Poverty. Elevating women's collective voice in workplaces is seen as vital for enhancing their economic security while advancing gender equality.