Labour productivity trends in Asia and the Pacific highlight uneven COVID-19 impacts

Getting older: Confronting Asia and the Pacific’s ageing labour force

Asia and the Pacific’s ageing population is a trend that is expected to steadily increase. Ageing societies means older labour forces and higher old-age dependency ratios, increasing the pressures on economies to close pension and social protection coverage gaps.

What future for the Asia garment industry post-COVID?

The COVID-19 crisis has hit the global garment industry hard and nowhere has this been felt more than in Asia, where the majority of the industry is based. A new brief from the International Labour Organization looks at what the future holds for the Asian garment sector, how the pandemic is shaping industry trends and the opportunities for a more resilient, sustainable and human-centred future.

Depressed global consumer demand continues to hit jobs in Asia and the Pacific

Almost 1 in 3 jobs in Asia and the Pacific are linked to the production of manufacturing products. COVID-19 has led to severe declines in global consumer demand, with only partial and in many cases uncertain recovery in sales of many of these products. An ILO brief highlights the adverse impacts of consumption trends on peoples’ jobs and livelihoods, especially given the slow progress on vaccination within parts of the region and among some of its trading partners.

Job retention schemes help offset COVID-19 labour market impacts in Asia and the Pacific

Asia-Pacific labour markets were devastated in 2020 by containment measures to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent economic slowdown. Policymakers throughout the region leveraged various tools to counter the adverse impacts on jobs, including temporary employment protection schemes.

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