ILO: Young workers most affected

AN ANALYSIS of the impact of covid19 on the international labour market exposes the “devastating and disproportionate effect on young workers.” The research was done by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and also analyses measures being taken to create a safe return-to-work environment. The ILO issued a statement on Wednesday.

According to the ILO Monitor: Covid19 and the World of Work, “The substantial and rapid increase in youth unemployment seen since February is affecting young women more than young men.”

It showed that as of 17 May, 20 per cent of the world’s workers lived in countries with required workplace closures for some sectors or categories of workers, and a further five per cent in countries with recommended workplace closures

The research shows the pandemic is affecting their employment, disrupting education, and training and creating obstacles for entry into the labour market or to move between jobs.

“At 13.6 per cent, the youth unemployment rate in 2019 was already higher than for any other group,” said the statement. It also revealed there were around 267 million young people not in employment, education, or training worldwide.

“Those 15-24-year-olds who were employed were also more likely to be in forms of work that leave then vulnerable, such as low-paid occupations, informal sector work, or as migrant workers.” The research also revealed the crisis is particularly affecting women.

“If we do not take significant and immediate action…the legacy of the virus could be with us for decades,” said ILO director-General, Guy Rider. The monitor showed that in countries with strong testing and tracing, the average fall in working hours is reduced by as much as 50 per cent.

“Rigorous testing and tracing of covid19 infections is strongly related to lower labour market disruptions (and) substantially smaller disruptions than confinement and lockdown measures.”

The monitor also shows the Americas (at 13.1 per cent) and Europe and Central Asia (at 12.9 per cent) showed the largest losses in hours worked in the second quarter of 2020 compared to the fourth quarter of 2019.

“An estimated 4.8 per cent of working hours were lost during the first quarter of 2020.” This percentage is an approximate equivalent to 135 million full-time jobs, assuming a 48-hour work week.

The ILO Monitor is calling on governments to have a large-scale and targeted policy response to support young workers. It suggests employing broad-based employment/training guarantee programmes in developed countries and employment intensive programmes in low- and middle-income families.