ILO recommends protecting the most vulnerable workers to mitigate the pandemic in Latin America
30 septiembre 2020

LABOR

Job security. The director of the International Labor Organization (ILO), Guy Ryder, presented at the end of August the challenges to overcome the impact of the pandemic on labor in Latin America. Among the challenges he posed, the need to support the most vulnerable groups, youth, women and informal workers, among others, stood out. The countries of the region are expected to address this issue in the short term. So far the main advances in this agenda have been based on the study of ILO Agreement 190 against violence and harassment in the workplace. In Latin America this agreement has already been ratified by Uruguay, and Argentina is expected to ratify it during the month of October.

Ryder listed the five challenges necessary for the region to overcome the impact of COVID-19 on labor. In the first place, he stressed that it is necessary to know how to sustain the substantial economic costs that support to companies entails. Secondly, he referred to the balance between returning to work and protecting the worker’s health. Thirdly, he highlighted the support for the most vulnerable groups, youth, women, informal workers, health workers and domestic workers. Fourthly, he stated that it is important to share information and experiences between countries, as well as to develop programs for emerging countries. He concluded, explaining that the last challenge is to maintain a social dialogue, since agreements must be generated to take measures.

Ryder’s statements were given in the framework of the 5th Colombian Business Congress and the National Assembly number 76 of Andi. There, he stated that international cooperation is key in the following months and that the pandemic has hit the most vulnerable workers, especially women, youth and informal workers. He remarked that the situation in Latin America may be even more precarious than in emerging nations, given a possible 7.8% drop in the economy in 2020.

Next steps

The director of the ILO Guy Ryder listed at the end of August what are the challenges that Latin America must face to mitigate the labor impact of COVID 19 and achieve a productive reactivation in the post-pandemic scenario, implementing health and safety policies in the job. It is expected that during the course of 2020 and early 2021 the different executive powers of the region will advance with the ratification of agreements on the matter. Among the agreements that would be dealt with in the short term, the ILO Convention 190 against violence and workplace harassment stands out. This agreement has already been approved by Uruguay and Argentina is expected to ratify it in the course of October 2020.

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