Conference on Employment in the Postcrisis Context
Agenda

Registration

Opening Remarks

Worapot Manupipatpong, Director, Capacity Building and Training, Asian Development Bank Institute
Raymond Torres, Director, International Institute for Labor Studies, International Labor Organization, Geneva

Session I: Global Economic Crisis - Short and Medium Term Outlook for Jobs
The global financial crisis has now become a full-blown global economic and jobs crisis. Global unemployment and the number of working poor are rising significantly; affecting some groups disproportionately – notably women, migrant workers and youth. Jobs in export-oriented sectors are being hit by rapidly sinking world markets. What is the short and medium term outlook for jobs? Is the expected economic recovery strong enough to improve the job situation significantly?

Session Chair: Graham Davis, Managing Director, The Economist Group, Japan

Speaker: Raymond Torres, Director, International Institute for Labor Studies, International Labor Organization, Geneva

• Presentation: World of Work Report 2009: The Global Jobs Crisis and Beyond [ PDF 361.7KB | 14 pages ]

Speaker: Jesus Felipe, Principal Economist, Central and West Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

• Presentation: Inclusive Growth, Full Employment, and Structural Change [ PDF 137.8KB | 23 pages ]

Coffee Break

Discussant: Naini Jayaseelan, Adviser, Planning Commission, India

• Presentation: Labour and Employment [ PDF 204.2KB | 9 pages ]
• Paper: Labour and Employment [ PDF 122.7KB | 5 pages ]

Discussant: Yi Ken Chng, Senior Manager, Manpower Planning and Policy Division, Ministry of Manpower, Singapore

• Presentation: Global Economic Crisis Short and Medium Term Outlook for Jobs Singapore [ PDF 2.2MB | 27 pages ]

Open Discussion

Lunch and Photo Session

Session II: Informal and Non-Regular Employment
Developing Asia is characterized by high levels of informal employment, and workers in the informal sector are among the most hit by the crisis. In other Asian countries, the incidence of non-regular employment has risen significantly. There is a risk that the crisis may even increase the degree of “informalization” and non-regular employment. What are the prospects for workers in the informal sector and non-regular workers? Are fiscal stimulus packages sufficiently oriented to relieving the jobs crisis and providing social support?

Session Chair: Worapot Manupipatpong, Director, Capacity Building and Training, Asian Development Bank Institute

Speaker: Raymond Torres, Director, International Institute for Labor Studies, International Labor Organization, Geneva

• Presentation: Non-regular employment: trends and policy issues [ PDF 238.5KB | 11 pages ]

Speaker: Naohiro Yashiro, Professor of Economics, International Christian University, Tokyo

• Presentation: An increasing non-regular employment in Japan as a reflection of insufficient structural reforms [ PDF 383.4KB | 23 pages ]

Coffee Break

Discussant: Cleofe Pastrana, Assistant Director, Social Development Staff, National Economic Development Authority, Philippines

• Presentation: The Informal Sector and Non-Regular Employment in the Philippines [ PDF 323.7KB | 24 pages ]
• Paper: The Informal Sector and Non-Regular Employment in the Philippines [ PDF 223.5KB | 24 pages ]

Discussant: Md. Mohazed Hossain, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Labor and Employment, Bangladesh

• Presentation: Informal Sector and Non-Regular Workers: Bangladesh perspective [ PDF 381KB | 21 pages ]

Open Discussion

Cocktail Dinner

Session III: Unemployment Insurance in Developing Asia and Social Protection
Unemployment insurance can play a crucial role in alleviating hardship. But the reality is that in many emerging and developing countries the majority of workers do not receive unemployment benefits. This is mainly due to the fact that most employment is in the informal sector. Even where unemployment benefit systems exist, they are often restricted to urban areas. To what extent are workers covered by unemployment insurance? Are governments taking measures to improve and reform unemployment insurance policies? What is the role of social protection as part of crisis responses?

Session Chair: Lok Man Liang, Senior Labor Officer, Labor Department, Hong Kong, China

Speaker: Steven Tobin, Economist, International Institute for Labor Studies, International Labor Organization, Geneva

• Presentation: Global Jobs Crisis: The Role of Unemployment Insurance [ PDF 245.4KB | 12 pages ]

Speaker: Yang Du, Professor, Institute of Labor and Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, People’s Republic of China

• Presentation: Understanding the Impacts of Global Financial Crisis on Labor Market in China [ PDF 194.1KB | 25 pages ]

Coffee Break

Speaker: Yuichiro Yoshida, Associate Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo

• Presentation: Public Expenditure on Social Infrastructure as a Measure of Unemployment Reduction [ PDF 1MB | 20 pages ]

Discussant: Lieu Xuan Ngo, Director of Employment and Labor Market Division, Ministry of Invalids and Social Affairs, Viet Nam

• Presentation: Social Security System in Viet Nam [ PDF 348KB | 17 pages ]

Open Discussion

Lunch

Session IV: Implications of Enterprise Financing on Employment
Enterprise financing is still affected by the credit crunch, and lending standards have tightened considerably. SMEs are particularly affected by this, given that they do not have access to capital markets in the same way that larger firms do. Improving access to finance for SMEs is key, as they account for up to 95 per cent of enterprises, and are responsible for most existing and new jobs, especially in the informal sector. To what extent are governments addressing the enterprise financing challenge?

Session Chair: Steven Tobin, Economist, International Institute for Labor Studies, International Labor Organization, Geneva

Speaker: Shingo Naganawa, Advisor, Southeast Asia Division VI, Southeast Asia Department II, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Tokyo

• Presentation: SMEs Development In Viet Nam And JICA's Cooperation Strategy [ PDF 1.3MB | 33 pages ]

Speaker: John West, Senior Consultant, Capacity Building and Training, Asian Development Bank Institute

• Presentation: SME Financing and the Crisis [ PDF 1.3MB | 8 pages ]
• Paper: SME Financing and the Crisis [ PDF 83.6KB | 7 pages ]

Coffee Break

Discussant: Xiangwei Li, Deputy Director, Department of Employment, Ministry of Human Resources & Human Security, People’s Republic of China

• Presentation: Implication of Enterprises Financing on Employment in China [ PDF 100.8KB | 13 pages ]

Discussant: Keo Chanthavixay, Head of Division, Skill Development and Employment Department, Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, Lao PDR

• Presentation: Employment in the Post-crisis Context [ PDF 925KB | 6 pages ]

Open Discussion

Session V: Green Growth and Green Jobs
A number of countries are undertaking and encouraging green investment in order to simultaneously contribute to economic recovery in the short-term, and help to build the environmentally friendly infrastructure required for a green economy in the long term. Green growth will be relevant going beyond the current crisis, addressing urgent challenges including the fight against climate change and environmental degradation, enhancement of energy security, and the creation of new engines for economic growth and "green jobs". To what extent are governments pursuing green growth strategies as part of their response to the current crisis and beyond?

Session Chair: Mary Grace Riguer

• Presentation: Green and Job Friendly Growth Managing the Shift [ PDF 1.9MB | 34 pages ]

Speaker: Shrashtant Patara, Chief Executive, TARA Livelihood Academy; and Vice President, Development Alternatives Group, India

• Presentation: Green Growth and Green Jobs [ PDF 4.1MB | 54 pages ]

Speaker: Venkatachalam Anbumozhi, Capacity Building Specialist, Asian Development Bank Institute

• Presentation: Unlocking the Potentials of Green Jobs in Low Carbon Asia [ PDF 3.8MB | 56 pages ]
• Paper: Unlocking the Potentials of Green Jobs in Low Carbon Asia [ PDF 401.6KB | 16 pages ]

Coffee Break

Discussant: Chutinart Wongsuban, Senior Advisor, Policy Planning, Office of the National Economic and Social Development, Thailand

• Presentation: Green Growth and Green Jobs: The Case of Thailand [ PDF 362.3KB | 16 pages ]
• Paper: Employment in the Post-Crisis Context: The Case of Thailand [ PDF 207.8KB | 16 pages ]

Open Discussion

Lunch

Session VI: Migration
Migrant workers are especially vulnerable in the crisis, since they often do not enjoy the same rights and protection as nationals of destination countries. The volume of financial remittances sent by migrant workers to their families can be adversely affected. And the crisis can also give rise to situations of discrimination and xenophobia. Have both countries of destination and origin put in place appropriate policies to deal with the impact of the crisis?

Session Chair: Mario Lamberte, Director of Research, Asian Development Bank Institute

Speaker: Junichi Goto, Professor, Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University, Tokyo

• Presentation: Nikkeijin Workers before and after the Crisis [ PDF 430.9KB | 34 pages ]

Speaker: Steven Tobin, Economist, International Institute for Labor Studies, International Labor Organization, Geneva

• Presentation: Migration and development: Overview and Crisis Related Issues [ PDF 109.3KB | 11 pages ]

Discussant: Chuop Narath, Deputy Director, Department of Labor and Manpower, Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, Cambodia

• Presentation: Migration in Cambodia [ PDF 1.4MB | 18 pages ]

Discussant: Sarathchandra Pathirathne Pathirathnehalage, Deputy Commissioner of Labor, Enforcement Division, Department of Labor, Sri Lanka

• Presentation: Profile of Sri Lankan Migrant Workers [ 1015.8KB | 13 pages ]

Open Discussion

Coffee Break

Session VII: Concluding Roundtable
This session will provide the opportunity to pull together the main conclusions from the conference, and to identify issues to be addressed in possible future events on employment issues in developing Asia.

Steven Tobin, Economist, International Institute for Labor Studies, International Labor Organization, Geneva

Worapot Manupipatpong, Director, Capacity Building and Training, Asian Development Bank Institute

What are the lessons learnt on Re-Balancing Growth on Employment? Which way forward?

Concluding Remarks