Thematic forum, Friday, 14th June 2019, 15:30–17:00

Securing sustainable transitions over the life course

Digitalization, demographic shifts, climate change and globalization will have a profound effect on how people manage transitions over the life course. These transformations present opportunities to create new jobs, facilitate greater access to and inclusion in labour markets, and support rising productivity and incomes. Yet they also present challenges, particularly for those workers least equipped to undertake the transitions that will be required. At a time of deepening inequalities, much attention is focused on social upheaval and populist responses, rather than to the longer-term policy changes needed. Decent job creation policies and strong and sustainable social protection systems will be essential to support working people, including young, prime-age and ageing women and men, through these multiple transitions.

Highlights from the forum


  1. Moderator

    Ms Nozipho Mbanjwa

    Ms Nozipho Mbanjwa is an international moderator and journalist. She has moderated conversations at the World Economic Forum, United Nations agencies including UN Women, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund amongst other global bodies.  She has also facilitated dialogues with targeted outcomes for a number of multinational organisations and blue chip companies operating across Africa. In April 2017, she moderated the Global Dialogue on the Future of Work at the ILO. She holds two Masters degrees in Development Finance (Stellenbosch) and International Studies (London).

Keynote Speakers

  1. Ms Christine Lagarde

    Managing Director IMF

    Ms Christine Lagarde is the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. Having served her first five-year term, she was re-appointed in July 2016 for a second term. She was previously French Finance Minister from June 2007 to July 2011 and also served as France’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade for two years. Ms Lagarde also has had an extensive and noteworthy career as an anti-trust and labour lawyer, serving as a partner with the international law firm of Baker & McKenzie, where the partnership elected her as chairman in October 1999. She held the top post at the firm until June 2005 when she was named to her initial ministerial post in France.

  2. Ms Michelle Bachelet

    High Commissioner, OHCHR

    Ms Michelle Bachelet is the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as the seventh Commissioner. She was the first female president of Chile and served two terms (2006 – 2010 and 2014 – 2018). She served as Health Minister (2000-2002) as well as Chile’s and Latin America’s first female Defense Minister (2002 – 2004). She is responsible for the creation of the National Institute for Human Rights and the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, the establishment of the Ministry of Women and Gender Equality, the adoption of quotas to increase women’s political participation, and the approval of Civil Union Act legislation, granting rights to same sex couples and thus, advancing LGBT rights.

Panel Discussion

  1. Ms Kristin Alsos

    Research Director, FAFO and Project leader for The future of work project for the Nordic Council of Ministers

    Ms Alsos is a research director at the FAFO foundation. Her areas of research include Labour law, collective agreements, wage negotiations, minimum wage, co-determination rights, labour migration, industrial relations, and the sharing economy. She is also the project leader for "The future of work" project for the Nordic Council of Ministers which explores how the ongoing transformations of production and labour markets associated with, amongst other, digitalization, demographic change, and new forms of employment will influence the future of work in the Nordic countries.

  2. Ms Joannie Marlene Bewa

    UN young leader for the Sustainable Development Goals

    Ms Bewa is a physician, researcher, and a global advocate for the SDGs, with a focus on health, education and gender equality. In 2010, she created the Young Beninese Leaders Association (YBLA). YBLA has reached 10,000 youth on HIV awareness, sexual reproductive health, and trained 3,000 women with support from the Michelle Obama Young African Women Leaders Grant. Joannie was a Youth Focal Point for Oxfam Quebec in Benin, led the “Benin Post 2015 campaign” and reached more than 2000 youth virtually on SDGs. She was awarded the “Youth Oscar Awards” by the Ministry of Youth Affairs in Benin and selected by her Government in 2015 as a youth representative for the 48th Commission on Population and Development in New York.

  3. Ms Rebeca Grynspan

    Secretary-General of Ibero American Conference and member of Global Commission

    Ms Grynspan has been the Secretary General of the Ibero American Conference since 2014. Prior to this appointment, Ms Grynspan held the post of Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and was Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) between 2006 and 2010. In 2010 she was named Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) and Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). From 2006 to 2010, she was UNDP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition, she has served as a member of the High-Level Panel on Financing for Development, convened by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2001. Before joining the United Nations, she served as Vice President of Costa Rica from 1994 to 1998.

  4. Mr Ernesto Murro

    Minister of Labour and Social Security, Uruguay

    Mr Ernesto Murro is Minister of Labour and Social Security. He has occupied the following positions: President of the Social Welfare Bank of Uruguay (BPS), President of the Ibero-American Social Security Organization, Member of the Administrative Technical Committee of the Ibero-American Multilateral Agreement on Social Security, member of the Government Delegation in the Permanent Commission of the MERCOSUR Multilateral Agreement on Social Security, and Honorary Professor of the University INSALUD. Mr Ernesto Murro was a primary school teacher from 1970 to 1972, and then became a Trade Union Leader in the wood industry.

  5. Mr Luca Visentini

    General Secretary, European Trade Union Confederation

    Mr Luca Visentini is the General Secretary of European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). Prior to that he was the ETUC Confederal Secretary four years. As General Secretary, he is responsible for guiding and coordinating ETUC's policy. This includes high-level meetings with EU and national leaders, institutions and social partner organisations; representing the Confederation in international and European foras and affiliates’ initiatives; coordinating the relationship with members; supervising the budget and human resources; and, keeping ETUC staff involved in European policy developments affecting trade unions.

  6. Dr Paweł Wojciechowski

    Polish Social Insurance Institution, Adviser to the President of the Employers of Poland

    Dr Paweł Wojciechowski has extensive experience working in the Polish government, business and academia. From 2006 to 2014 he held several positions in the Polish government as Minister of Finance, Deputy Foreign Minister, Ambassador – permanent representative of Poland to the OECD, and President of the Polish Agency for Information and Foreign Investments. Prior to 2006, he was CEO of three financial institutions, including PTE Allianz Poland S.A. He has also advised the Polish government in the areas of privatisation and capital market development. At present he is the Chief Economist of Social Insurance Institutions, Director at Whiteshield Partners Ltd. and a senior adviser at Pracodawcy RP – the largest confederation of employers in Poland.