Workshop on Employment - Global and Country Perspectives - Sept 2011

The World Bank’s India Country Management Unit and South Asia Poverty Reduction Department organized a workshop in partnership with the Department for International Development, U.K.; Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), New Delhi, India; and New York University Stern School of Business that took place September 26-27, 2011, in New York. This is the second year in which the World Bank brings together such a group to discuss a relevant topic for the 9 emerging countries of the G20. The 1st Conversation took place in October 2010 and was hosted by NYU Stern School of Business, as well.

Nobel Laureate Prof A. Michael Spence and Dr. D Subbarao Governor Reserve Bank of India at the workshop.

The workshop provided a forum for Indian researchers, policymakers and other development practitioners to contribute -- together with their counterparts from other G20 countries -- to a global debate on issues surrounding employment creation and changing patterns of employment both within and between countries. The interaction of Indian policy makers yielded to a richer debate on labor market diagnostics and policy conclusions. A conversation on country experiences in creating good sustainable employment opportunities in a fast changing globalized world occurred. Employment in a national context was looked at through the lens of: (a) the structure of the economy, its evolution and its growth trajectory; (b) domestic labor market policies; (c) local institutions; (d) globalization.

The workshop began with presentations on employment dynamics in the US followed by a round table panel discussion on lessons for other countries based on the US employment experience. The following sessions contrasted countries with high structural unemployment like South Africa with Germany and the Netherlands, two countries which have been able to maintain low rates of unemployment. The second day of the workshop comprised of a session on economies with a large labor force - China and India. This was followed by a session on economies with a small labor force – Singapore and Sri Lanka. The workshop had a keynote address on employment prospects for the self-employed in developing countries and a luncheon address on employment in the Middle East. There was also a session on the work the World Bank has done on employment in South Asia and future research the Bank is undertaking on employment.

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