More than 60 per cent of the world鈥檚 employed population earn their livelihoods in the informal economy. The COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on the vulnerability of informal workers, who often lack social protection or employment-related benefits and are twice as likely to be poor. On this World Day of Social Justice, the 缅北禁地seeks to highlight the transition to formal employment as a necessary condition to reduce poverty and inequalities, notably in times of crisis. The 2030 Agenda and the Secretary-General鈥檚 Our Common Agenda report, recognise the transition to formality as a priority.
Employment
brings us the story of , a migrant construction worker in Chiang Mai, a city in Northern Thailand. After government legislation made it illegal for migrant workers to do skilled construction work, Sai Sai along with other migrant workers and local organizations worked together to get the law amended.
and have called for measures to be put in place to protect workers鈥 health while teleworking. A new , published by the two 缅北禁地agencies, outlines the health benefits and risks of teleworking and the changes needed to accommodate the shift towards different forms of remote work arrangements brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the digital transformation of work. Teleworking can improve the physical and mental health and social wellbeing of workers, while leading to higher productivity and lower operational costs for many companies.
Problems always arise when a woman forces her way into a man鈥檚 world. Men will wonder 鈥渨hat is she doing here, why doesn鈥檛 she cook or sew?鈥 Entrepreneur, Takhmina Bakhronova, broke into the male-dominated taxi business in Tajikistan鈥檚 capital, Dushanbe 鈥 introducing innovations that have left her competitors standing. See the full multimedia story on - a platform with first person perspectives on the world of work.
ILO has downgraded its forecast for labour market recovery in 2022, projecting a deficit in hours worked globally equivalent to 52 million full-time jobs, relative to the fourth quarter of 2019. The previous full-year estimate in May 2021 projected a deficit of 26 million full-time equivalent jobs. While this latest projection is an improvement on the situation in 2021, it remains almost two per cent below the number of global hours worked pre-pandemic, according 鈥檚&苍产蝉辫; Global unemployment is expected to remain above pre-COVID-19 levels until at least 2023.
About 10 per cent of people are left handed, yet the world of work is overwhelmingly set up for right-handers. There are also numerous examples 鈥 historical and contemporary - of discrimination and stigma in relation to left-handed people.
In this of the , Sophy Fisher speaks to Dr Marietta Papadatou-Pastou, Assistant Professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Dr Papadatou-Pastou's research interests include various aspects of neuropsychology, as well as cognitive neuroscience and experimental psychology. Her work focuses on handedness and brain lateralization, using behavioral and brain imaging techniques in healthy individuals as well as populations with special education needs.
Ahead of International Migrants Day, Senior Labour Migration Specialist, Gloria Moreno-Fontes, speaks from Pretoria about the Southern Africa Migration Management (SAMM) Project, aiming to improve migration management in the Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region. The project is funded by the European Commission and implemented by the in collaboration with the , and the .
presents Bi Qiting. Qi lost her eyesight at 14. She trains to become a swimming instructor because to help other people with disabilities get out of the home, exercise and enjoy life more.
Senior Programme Officer in Turkey, Nejat Kocabay, explains how an project is helping to eliminate the worst forms of child labour in seasonal agriculture in Turkey, including hazelnut harvesting.
Supply chains are broken and acute shortages are hiking prices. And while businesses struggle to stay afloat, vulnerable groups search for jobs. These changes, compounded by the COVID pandemic, have caused great turmoil in our lives. But, they also provide opportunities for moving towards a better future of work.
The first / global estimates on disease and injury in the workplace outline the level of preventable premature deaths due to exposure to work-related health risks.
Driven by the belief that young people possess the agency and power to shape their future, some Kenyan youth are tapping into the digital economy and taking their place at the negotiation table.
The world of work has been profoundly affected by the pandemic threatening livelihoods and the wellbeing of millions. sets out the world of work response to the COVID-19 crisis on how to build a human-centred future of work.
The workplace should be safe for everyone, everywhere. The Convention No. 190 aims to end all forms of violence and harassment in the world of work, including gender-based violence. The Convention focuses on restoring dignity and respect for all. Ask your governments to #RatifyC190.
Iman comes from a family of 11 in the village of Bani Quis in the north-western Yemeni governorate of Hajjah. Iman dropped out of school at an early age because she lacked the means to reach her school some six kilometres away from her village. Now 18 and only semi-literate, she wishes she had had the chance to learn at school. Having decided to pursue other learning options to obtain practical vocational skills, Iman joined an apprenticeship implemented by an partnership. In addition to theoretical instruction, Iman gained sewing skills from the practical training.