The ILO’s Senior Coordinator for Afghanistan described the situation as critical and said it required immediate support for stabilization and recovery.
AlTaghyeer: Agencie
New estimates from the International Labor Organization show that total job losses, due to the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, amounted to more than half a million jobs in the third quarter of last year.
The labor organization indicated that it could reach 900,000 jobs by the middle of this year.
The organization said, in a statement, that this loss of employment is a reflection of worker dismissals, the ensuing economic crisis, as well as restrictions on women’s participation in the workplace.
It was estimated that the total number of hours worked in the Afghan economy was estimated to decline by 13% in the third quarter of 2021.
The UN agency said workers were disproportionately affected by the crisis in Afghanistan.
It is estimated that women’s employment levels – which were already very low by global standards – fell by 16% in the third quarter of 2021.
Adding to a more dismal scenario, the ILO predicted decrease of up to 28% is expected by mid-2022.
“The situation in Afghanistan is critical and requires immediate support for stabilization and recovery,” said ILO Senior Coordinator for Afghanistan Ramin Behzad.
“While the priority is meeting immediate humanitarian needs, lasting and comprehensive recovery will depend on people and communities’ access to decent work opportunities, livelihoods, and basic services,” he added.
The International Labor Organization indicated that key sectors have been severely affected since the Taliban seized power in the country in August 2021.
Sectors affected include the agriculture, civil service, and construction sector; all of which have seen widespread job losses, or not obliging their workers’ wages.
The organization said it continues to promote productive employment and decent work for the Afghan people with a focus on emergency employment, investment for employment intensification, enterprise promotion, and skills development.
