The United Nations (UN) International Labour Organisation (ILO)
Director-General, Mr. Guy Ryder; has said that COVID-19 will create
global unemployment among 195 million workers.
According to him, the coronavirus will be wiping out 6.7 per cent of
working hours globally in second quarter of this year.
Ryder in a statement Wednesday in Maiduguri said: “Workers and
businesses are facing catastrophe, in both developed and developing
economies. We have to move fast, decisively, and together.
He noted that the right, urgent, measures, could make a difference
between survival and collapse of economies of developed and developing
countries.
This, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is
equivalent to 195 million full-time workers.
While lamenting on global unemployment rates, he said: “Large
reductions are foreseen in the Arab States (8.1 per cent, equivalent
to five million full-time workers), Europe (7.8 per cent or 12 million
full-time workers) and Asia and the Pacific (7.2 per cent, 125 million
full-time workers).”
He said that huge losses are; also expected across different income
groups in upper-middle income countries with 100 million workers
unemployed.
He however noted that this far exceeds the effects of the 2008-9
financial crises.
Ryder listed the economic sectors to be most hit; to include
accommodation and food services, manufacturing, retail, and business
and administrative activities.
According to him, increase in global unemployment during 2020; will
depend on future developments and policy measures of COVID-19 affected
countries.
He warned that there is a high risk that; the end-of-year figure will
be significantly higher than the initial ILO projection, of 25
million.
He further disclosed that 81 per cent of global workforce of 3.3
billion; are currently affected by full or partial workplace closures.
The second edition of ILO monitor described COVID-19 as; “The worst
global crisis since World War II.” adding that the updated version
include sectoral and regional information on effects of the pandemic.
According to the new study, 1.25 billion workers are employed in the
sectors identified as being at high risk of “drastic and devastating”
increases in layoffs and reductions in wages and working hours.
Continued: “Many are in low-paid, low-skilled jobs, where a sudden
loss of income is devastating.
“Regionally, the proportion of workers in these “at risk” sectors
varies from 43 per cent in the Americas to 26 per cent in Africa.
“Some regions, particularly Africa, have higher levels of informality,
which combined with a lack of social protection, high population
density and weak capacity, pose severe health and economic challenges
for governments,” warning that two billion people work in the informal
sector and are particularly at risk.
On overcoming global unemployment, he said: “Large-scale, integrated,
policy measures are needed, focusing on four pillars,”
The pillars, according to him, include supporting enterprises,
employment and incomes; stimulating the economy and jobs; protecting
workers in the workplace; and, using social dialogue between
government, workers and employers to find solutions.
“This is the greatest test for international cooperation in more than
75 years,” he said, warning that if one country fails, then we all
fail.
