Lula attends International Labor Organization meeting
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is participating in the International Labor Organization (ILO) conference in Geneva, Switzerland, this Thursday (Jun. 13), which will focus on social justice. Yesterday (Jun. 12), before departing for the event, Lula stated that he was attending the ILO conference as "the workers' representative." He will open the meeting and reaffirm Brazil's stance against inequality and social exclusion.
"One issue I will not relent on is speaking out against inequality—in the workplace, in race, education, and gender," he said, referencing the Brazilian businessmen who legally challenged the equal pay law for men and women, which came into force in December last year.
"We have passed a very important law in the Brazilian Congress: women and men with the same job must earn the same salary. However, some businessmen are appealing this law, refusing to pay equally, and thinking that women are inferior. This is a crucial issue," he said.
In April, the Federal Court exempted certain sectors, including pharmacies and universities, from disclosing salary transparency and remuneration criteria, as stipulated by the regulations of the Equal Pay Law.
The conference in Geneva, which began on June 3, brings together representatives from 187 ILO member states. The Brazilian delegation includes members of the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary branches, as well as representatives from civil society, workers' unions, and companies.
According to Lula, the Brazilian government will showcase at the meeting the partnership established with U.S. President Joe Biden to promote decent work globally. This initiative, formalized in September last year, is unprecedented between the two countries and aims to combat precarious work, with trade unions serving as a support base.
G7
After the conference in Geneva, Lula will travel to Italy to participate in the G7 Summit, a gathering of leaders from seven of the world's largest economies. The event will be held from June 13 to 15 in Borgo Egnazia, in the Puglia region of southern Italy. In addition to the extended working sessions, the president's agenda includes bilateral meetings with various authorities.
