On June 4, 2020, CCIG members participated in a webinar entitled “Life and Work after Pandemic: The Road to Recovery. Its main objectives were to provide a platform of discussion in order to measure the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on life and work as well as how to re-construct the recovery journey to the “New Normal.”

First on the panel was Dr. Luc Cortebeeck, current member of the ILO Governing Body, former Chair of the Governing Body, and former President of ACV-CSC Belgium. He presented a synthesis of his reflections based on his book “Still Work to be Done” regarding this pandemic’s impact on the future of decent work and proposed some strategies for stakeholders for combating it.

The second speaker was Ms. Anna Biondi, Deputy Director for the ILO Bureau for Workers Activities (ACTRAV). She stressed on the importance of building a Better Normal post pandemic, where the implementation of ILO standards needs to be sustained.

Their inputs were enriched by experiences of institutions giving concrete responses to the COVID-19 crisis in the field. Time was also given for questions and further discussion. The facilitator, Mr. Ludovicus Mardiyono, affirmed that it was an inspiring and productive webinar thanks to the comprehensive and challenging input from the two speakers and the active participation of others.

In conclusion, the COVID-19 highlighted existing social inequalities and gaps and therefore, the challenge to work for socio-economic frameworks that safeguard people’s well-being and promote social dialogue among governments, labour organizations and civil society at large are imperatives for our time.