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Massive Job loss Due to COVID-19 in Asia-Pacific; Women, Young People hit

Massive Job loss Due to COVID-19 in Asia-Pacific; Women, Young People hit

The COVID-19 crisis has had a devastating effect on jobs and incomes in Asia and the Pacific according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

 

The report - Asia–Pacific Employment and Social Outlook 2020: Navigating the crisis towards a human-centred future of work estimates states that the economic backlash of the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out some 81 million jobs in 2020. In nearly all economies with available quarterly data for 2020, employment levels contracted compared to 2019.

 

The impact of the crisis has been far-reaching, with underemployment surging as millions of workers are asked to work reduced hours or no hours at all. Overall, working hours in Asia and the Pacific decreased by an estimated 15.2 per cent in the second quarter and by 10.7 per cent in the third quarter of 2020, relative to pre-crisis levels.

 

Women and young people are disproportionately hit

 

According to the report, most countries in the region saw a larger decline in working hours and employment for women than men. Also, women were more likely to move into inactivity than men. Young people have also been especially affected by working-hour and job losses. The youth share in overall employment loss was 3 to 18 times higher than their share in total employment.

 

Sara Elder, Senior Economist at the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and lead author of the report said, “The report shows a clear picture of young people and women being pushed out of work compared to other workers. With increased unemployment, young workers are likely to find it difficult to compete for new jobs. When they do find work, it may well be a job that does not match to their aspirations. Millions of women have also paid a high price and it could take years for those who have exited the labour force to return to full employment.”

 

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