GENEVA (ILO News) — The number of working hours lost across the world in the first half of 2020 was significantly worse than previously estimated, while the highly uncertain recovery in the second half of the year will not be enough to go back to pre-pandemic levels, warns the International Labour Organization.
According to the ILO Monitor 5th Edition, there was a 14 per cent drop in global working hours during the second quarter of 2020, equivalent to the loss of 400 million full-time jobs. This is a sharp increase on the previous estimate of a 10.7 per cent drop (305 million jobs). The Americas experienced the greatest losses at 18.3 per cent, followed by Europe and Central Asia at 13.9 per cent.
The Monitor also found that women workers have been disproportionately affected. Nearly 510 million or 40 per cent of all employed women work in the four most affected sectors, compared to 36.6 per cent of men. Women also dominate domestic work and health and social care sectors, where they are at greater risk of losing income and are less likely to have social protection.
“The decisions we adopt now will echo in the years to come and beyond 2030. Although countries are at different stages of the pandemic and a lot has been done, we need to redouble our efforts if we want to come out of this crisis in a better shape than when it started,” said ILO Director-General Guy Ryder.