Post-disaster recovery

ILO joins support for Pakistan after devastating floods

The ILO has joined the combined UN effort to support Pakistan in the wake of the most severe flooding in the country’s recent history, including with the rollout of infrastructure rehabilitation and cash-for-work initiatives.

Press release | Islamabad, Pakistan | 19 September 2022
© Shutterstock
ISLAMABAD (ILO News)- Following the recent devastating floods in Pakistan that have claimed thousands of lives and destroyed millions of homes, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has joined the UN, World Bank and European Union (EU) to assess the impact on employment and livelihoods.

A scoping mission has already taken place and Rapid Infrastructure Rehabilitation projects will be rolled out to provide people with cash through work and support social cohesion and community resilience.

At a meeting with the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, in Islamabad on 9 September 2022, ILO Senior Programme Officer Rabia Razzaque highlighted how employment and livelihoods would be central to recovery and rehabilitation.

The ILO is helping Pakistan’s government, workers and employers mobilise emergency employment services and activities around small and micro enterprises in order to inject cash into communities and support resilience.

The ILO advocates getting people back to work as soon as possible after disasters, while promoting peace and resilience through human-centred approaches, including climate-adaptive infrastructure rehabilitation, emergency employment services and enterprise and skills development. Other priorities include the strengthening of social protection systems and ensuring that all rehabilitation and recovery efforts respect fundamental principles and rights at work.