Utilities (gas, electricity, water, waste management)

Utilities (water, electricity and gas) are essential services that play a vital role in economic and social development. Quality utilities are a prerequisite for effective poverty eradication. Governments are ultimately responsible for ensuring reliable universal access of service under accountable regulatory frameworks. The SDGs require that utilities collaborate with governments to provide universal access to water, sanitation and electricity, and decent working conditions for their workers. Governments should also promote dignified work for fecal sludge cleaners and women engaged in water fetching. Adequate staffing and training in the use of new technologies help ensure efficiency and safety in the workplace.

Key resources

Sub-regional tripartite workshop on decent work for sanitation workers in South Asia (11-13 October 2021)

The line graphs show a time series of modelled global and regional employment estimates at the sectoral level. The ILO modelled estimates generally cover 189 countries, offering a comprehensive set of internationally comparable labour statistics. These include both reported data and imputed figures for countries with missing information. The imputations are generated using econometric models developed by the ILO.

For more detailed labour market indicators and country-level data, visit the Sectoral Employment Statistics page of the ILOSTAT database.

The line graphs show a time series of modelled global and regional employment estimates at the sectoral level. The ILO modelled estimates generally cover 189 countries, offering a comprehensive set of internationally comparable labour statistics. These include both reported data and imputed figures for countries with missing information. The imputations are generated using econometric models developed by the ILO.

For more detailed labour market indicators and country-level data, visit the Sectoral Employment Statistics page of the ILOSTAT database.