The COVID-19 pandemic underlines the crucial role that essential workers play in supporting economies, societies and businesses. It is also a reminder that their remuneration does not always reflect the value of their work, putting the livelihood of many workers at risk. This panel will highlight how social dialogue has been mobilised to secure a fairer remuneration and decent working conditions.

By ensuring access to healthcare and by providing income replacement, social protection has shielded people from financial insecurity and poverty during the pandemic. However, there are important gaps in social protection, especially for informal workers and workers in non-standard forms of employment. This panel will discuss initiatives that have been taken by governments and social partners to cover such gaps.

Many essential workers have been at the frontline of the pandemic, continuing to work in close proximity with others despite the risk of exposing themselves to the coronavirus. This panel will demonstrate how social dialogue can make a difference by providing essential workers with better health protection at work.

Work-related violence and harassment have increased as a result of the pandemic and this has often taken the form of gender-based violence. Essential workers and those suspected of being contagious with COVID-19 have also been at risk of stigmatisation, discrimination, and violence. This panel will look at the measures taken by governments and social partners to address this problem.