UN labor group says 1.6M jobs lost in Myanmar in 2021
ABC News
The International Labor Organization says about 1.6 million jobs were lost in Myanmar in 2021, with women suffering the biggest setbacks as work in factories, tourism and construction dwindled amid the pandemic and a military takeover
BANGKOK -- The International Labor Organization says about 1.6 million jobs were lost in Myanmar in 2021, with women suffering the worst setbacks as work in factories, tourism and construction dwindled amid the pandemic and a military takeover.
In a report issued Friday, the ILO said the country was facing a “multi-dimensional humanitarian crisis” as political turmoil, violence, insecurity and displacement have been heaped on top of the troubles from the coronavirus pandemic.
The jobs lost, which include both formal employment and informal work, amounted to about 8% of all employment, as many people stopped working after the military seized power on Feb. 1, ousting the country's elected government.
Myanmar’s economy is estimated to have contracted by about 18% last year. The ILO said that many workers had shifted into poor paying jobs or farm work, while conditions at factories have deteriorated as the military administration has cracked down on labor organizing.
