As the COVID -19 pandemic continues spreading around the world it seems that no sector or individual has been left out from not being receiving a negative impact in one way or another from the crisis. But within the social fabric, the pandemic is making the most devastating effect on low-income workers across the world. This sector of workers is the most essential as it represents the global consumer economy in terms of products and services.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) warned the international community that the pandemic crisis could increase global unemployment which is going to be an inevitable challenge for global economy as millions are continuing to lose their jobs in the US and Europe which are the most advanced economic systems in the world.
“The COVID-19 is expected to wipe out 6.7 percent of working hours globally in the second quarter of 2020 – equivalent to 195 million full-time workers,” said ILO in a report released earlier this month.
Large reductions are foreseen across contents and huge losses are expected across different income groups with no exception. Furthermore, the report underlined that “more than four out of five people (81 percent) in the global workforce of 3.3 billion are currently affected by full or partial workplace closures.”
Nowhere is exception, therefore with the appearance of signs of this health crisis on the global horizon, the State of Qatar began to take swift and far-sighted strategic measures aiming to protect the rights of this sector of the society supporting the private sector by allocating QR75bn along with measures taken by the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs (MADLSA) to mitigate the social and economic impact of the crisis. The Ministry has instructed companies to continue paying salaries for workers, urging all parties, employers and workers to cooperate and maintain the long-term sustainable businesses and business relationships.
During an open discussion of senior officials in the Arab countries of the West Asia region on Wednesday, the Ministry (MADLSA) said it is applying the best possible legal standards and measures aiming at protecting workers and providing best possible health services on equal basis for all segments of the society, along with provision of occupational safety and health requirements within the workplaces and reducing working hours.
The Ministry also stressed that the contractual relationship between employers and workers was organised during the crisis and the provision of subsidies (loans) to affected companies amounting to QR3bn to cover workers’ wages and rents, as well as raising awareness and providing free health care to all workers without discrimination.
