Representatives of the MTSZN and the ILO discussed plans for cooperation for 2022

First Vice-Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Kazakhstan Akmadi Sarbasov and Director of the Bureau of the International Labor Organization (hereinafter - ILO) for Eastern Europe and Central Asia Olga Kulayeva held online talks, during which plans for cooperation in conducting a National Dialogue on overcoming the pandemic, modernization of the labor inspection system, development of the Social Code and the project «Partnership in Youth Employment of the Commonwealth of Independent States» were considered.

At the beginning of his speech, Akmadi Sarbasov noted that cooperation with the ILO is of great importance for Kazakhstan: over the years of cooperation, 24 ILO conventions have been ratified, the obligations under which are implemented in the country's legislation, and at the moment work is underway to join Convention No. 175 «On Part-time Work».

He said that in order to bring the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan in line with international standards, the law "On Amendments and additions to some legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on labor issues" was adopted in May 2020.

The First Vice Minister also noted that the issue of modernization of the labor inspection system will be worked out within the framework of the Action Plan to Ensure Safe Work in Kazakhstan until 2025, taking into account the requirements of the ILO conventions ratified by Kazakhstan.

Akmadi Sarbasov thanked the ILO experts for their comments and recommendations on the use of international social security standards in the concept of the Social Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as for the work carried out on the analysis of measures taken by Kazakhstan during the COVID-19 pandemic in the socio-labor, economic and health care system.

«The rapid diagnostics on employment allowed both to identify policy responses to the labor market and to analyze existing problems in more detail. And express diagnostics on social protection made it possible to review the measures taken, assess their effectiveness in terms of guaranteeing the income of employees and certain socially vulnerable groups in order to identify actions that contribute to expanding the coverage of social protection programs,» the speaker concluded.

At the end of his speech, the First Vice Minister thanked the ILO for the long and fruitful cooperation with Kazakhstan, noted the importance of resuming cooperation on the project «Partnership in Youth Employment of the Commonwealth of Independent States», as well as further joint work on improving social and labor policy, ensuring social justice and decent work in accordance with ILO standards.