Jyldyz Polotova, Deputy Minister of Labor, Social Protection, and Migration, announced a significant increase in compensation for industrial accident victims over the past five years. This announcement was made during a conference dedicated to World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
According to Polotova, the number of workers receiving compensation for workplace injuries due to employers' failure to comply with safety regulations has grown over the last five years. In 2018, the total amount of payouts was 8.6 million soms, whereas in 2023, it has already reached 123 million soms.
During the same period, the sum of unpaid wages that the Ministry of Labor helped workers recover from employers has quadrupled, from 5 million soms in 2018 to 22.6 million soms last year.
In Kyrgyzstan, labor protection is an integral part of social policy, with the government paying close attention to preventing industrial accidents and safeguarding citizens' labor rights.
Polotova highlighted the importance of child labor protection, emphasizing that it entails not only shielding children from exploitation and labor risks but also ensuring their access to education, play, and development in a safe environment.
She underscored the country's ratification of International Labour Organization Conventions No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labor and No. 138 on the Minimum Age for Employment to protect children from exploitation. Polotova stressed the need to develop and implement effective monitoring mechanisms to uphold children's rights in the labor sphere. Additionally, she emphasized the significance of considering the global aging population trend and its impact on the labor market.
