TEHRAN -- Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Safdar Hosseini has said that employment has faced stiff challenges throughout the world since the beginning of the 21st century and this calls for international attention.

Addressing the International Labor Organization's (ILO)' 19th Conference in Geneva, he said that lack of efficient, transparent and non-discriminatory policies worldwide is threatening over one billion individuals barely surviving below the poverty line.

Pointing to the issue of globalization as well as imbalanced and irresponsible international rivalry, he added, "Lack of access to a fair share in global trade and manpower has had its impacts on developing countries." The minister said that inequal opportunities and access to technologies have made the economic structure of a great number of countries vulnerable and currently its increasingly negative consequences are quite evident on the global market.

He added, "It's no longer possible to solve the problems of labor market and fragile job security position in a confident manner." He described the initiative by ILO director general to form a global commission comprising of scholars and intellectuals to assess the social consequences of globalization on the basis of geographical balance as an effective measure.

He said, "Given that the diversity and nonconvergence of the economic-social structure of member states is taken as an obstacle on drawing up a single pattern to avoid the damaging consequences of globalization, strengthening specialized cooperation might provide the grounds for conducting field research." Referring to Iran's attempts to develop and broaden trilateral dialogues, Hosseini said that Iran is determined to work toward further institutionalizing participation of labor and employers by drawing up effective trends aimed at trilateralism, social dialogue and expansion of the activities of social partners.

He pointed to the need to support the future generations, the joint balanced international commitment for safeguarding the children as the most noble desire of the human community, he also said that ILO might play an effective role in contributing to establishment of an executive mechanism for the international labor convention to eliminate the worst cases of child labor.

Hosseini added, "To support the young generation's social and mental growth, over 20 million students are provided with free education, while studying is compulsory up to third grade of high school." Referring to the Zionist regime's crimes in the occupied lands of Palestine, he said that the 90th International Labor Conference has coincided with 54 years of occupation of Palestine, elimination of social justice and the violation of all ILO conventions and UN Charter.

He proposed the formation of a special committee by ILO director general office within the shortest time to present a precise report on the violation of ILO principles and the pitiful condition of Palestinians at the next meeting of the board of directors.

He hoped that ILO will contribute to the realization of the slogan of social justice by proceeding with such a committed initiatives.