Employers in Malaysia Pledge to Support Women's Leadership Skills Development Skills During 111th ILO Conference

Syukri Sudari, vice president of the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF), reaffirmed the Federation's dedication to the following in a comprehensive speech at the plenary session of the recently finished 111th International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conference in Geneva.

• Fostering female leadership,
• Improving the development of skills,
• In support of social protection,
• Addressing concerns with retirement support, assisting refugees in finding employment options, and
• Working with the ILO on the Safe and Fair Programme.

Speaking to the audience on behalf of MEF President Datuk Dr Syed Hussain, Syukri shared the advancements made in these areas thus far and the future course that is being planned. Vice President Farid Basir and Council member Peggy Chew joined him in representing the MEF, the main association of private sector employers in Malaysia.

Malaysia's Minister of Human Resources, V. Sivakumar also contributed to the Conference.

Some of the addresses:

First of all, Malaysia aims to attain a workforce with the essential skills to flourish in the global landscape by 2030 by aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, underscoring the commitment to expand the number of employees with appropriate skills.

Second, he discussed the importance of financial literacy training so that employees have the knowledge and skills necessary to make wise financial decisions and secure their financial future. He expressed support for inclusive social protection schemes that protect workers' welfare and rights.

MEF urged an expansion of Social Security coverage to retirees in response to the issue of post-retirement assistance. The association emphasised the significance of developing thorough mechanisms that guarantee retirees receive the assistance and care they require.

MEF is proud to recognise the talents of refugees and to partner with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to advocate for refugees' legal access to employment opportunities. MEF also aims to build an inclusive society that gives refugees the means to contribute to the workforce and society as a whole.

In order to honour Malaysian women's accomplishments and provide a welcoming atmosphere for their further development and achievement, MEF recently convened the National Summit on Women.

Syukri discussed the country's commitment to promoting safe and fair labour practises, ensuring that the wellbeing and rights of workers are protected in all aspects of employment, which was also the overall theme of the speech. She confirmed that MEF has collaborated with the ILO Safe and Fair Programme, aimed at developing knowledge tools for its members.