DUSHANBE, January 28, 2010, Asia-Plus -- The first meeting of a working, set up to work out the national labor market development program for 2010-2020, took place at the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection (MoLSP) today.

The source at a MoLSP says the working group has been set up in the framework of the EU-sponsored project, Technical Assistance in the framework of the Program of Support for Formation of Social Protection Policy – component of labor policy.

The working group members include representatives from the President’s Executive Office, relevant ministries and organization, the Center for Strategic Studies, as well as representatives from social partners such as the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Tajikistan, the Association of Employers of Tajikistan, the National Association of Dehkan Farms of Tajikistan, and representatives from a number of NGOs.

The meeting considered issues related to the abovementioned project, goals and objectives of the working group and the national labor market development strategy paper, the source said, noting that the final version of the national labor market development strategy for 2010-2020 should be submitted for consideration to the government by the end of this year.