ILO calls for employment promotion measures to support workers
More than 3.5 million workers in Myanmar have been potentially affected by the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit the country in March, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which called for urgent measures to support the restoration of livelihoods there.
The ILO said an estimated 3.5 million workers are within the areas that were directly impacted by the earthquake.
"This represents US$36.8 million in potential earnings lost per day (equivalent to US$9.6 billion in lost earnings per year) if these workers are unable to work or find quality employment elsewhere," the ILO said.
According to the ILO, many workers were already at heightened risk of poverty and seeking out opportunities in the informal economy to survive.
The ILO said humanitarian emergency cash assistance is urgently needed for workers and families who have been affected by the quake, as Myanmar does not have a national social protection system.
Employment promotion measures can also contribute in securing possible humanitarian cash, according to the ILO.
"These could include employment programmes that help with the removal of debris and the reconstruction of crucial economic and social infrastructure through employment-intensive approaches incorporating decent work principles," it said.
"Such programmes can be highly effective in early recovery by providing immediate financial support to affected workers and individuals while engaging them in recovery activities such as debris removal, infrastructure repair, and community rebuilding."
The ILO said this intervention will provide immediate income to workers and help them meet basic needs.
But in the medium term, the ILO said assistance is needed to ensure decent working conditions during the recovery and reconstruction period.
There is also a need to ensure the prevention of child labour and forced labour in Myanmar.
"Moreover, the earthquake has revealed the need to invest in building a comprehensive and shock-resilient social protection system in Myanmar," the ILO said.
The 7.7-magnitude quake rocked the Sagaing Region in Myanmar on March 28, with its epicentre close to Mandalay, the country's second-largest city.
More than 3,600 people died from the quake, and over 5,000 others were injured, according to the ILO report.
