ILO shifts focus to recovery phase in the earthquake-hit region

By International Labour Organization

ILO shifts focus to recovery phase in the earthquake-hit region

The ILO Office for Türkiye, in coordination with public institutions, social partners and the UN, has responded to the emergency needs of the affected communities by providing humanitarian assistance initiated immediately after the devastating earthquakes in the eastern part of Türkiye. It is preparing to mobilize its resources and technical capacity to create new employment opportunities, and decent jobs and ensure skills development for the communities to enable them to re-join the workforce and eventually contribute to rebuilding the region during the recovery and reconstruction phase.

ILO’s commitment and technical support to address challenges arising from the earthquakes was reiterated by the Officer-in-Charge Giovanni di Cola of ILO Türkiye Office during a meeting on 12 April 2023 held as part of the “Technical Assistance for Promoting Decent Future of Work Approach with a Focus of Gender Equality Project,” implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MoLSS) and co-financed by the European Union and the Republic of Türkiye. The meeting touched on the ongoing and planned works in the region and discussed strategies and policy recommendations on employment to be applied in the post-earthquake period.

Recovery based on social dialogue

The participants emphasized the importance of social dialogue to overcome the challenges in promoting and creating sustainable and decent work, strengthening the labour market, and ensuring strong recovery from the disaster caused by the earthquakes, as cited in the principles of the ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work.

Sadettin Akyıl of the MoLSS pointed to the significance of cooperation among national institutions and international organizations to overcome the negative impacts on employment caused by the earthquake.

The affected 11 provinces of Türkiye are home to more than four million workers, most of whom work in agriculture, manufacturing or trade. The interruption of economic activities and its effects on livelihoods have resulted in income losses. Initial data from Türkiye suggest the earthquakes left around 658,000 workers unable to earn their living and more than 220,000 workplaces are unusable.

The ILO estimates that these affected workers face average income losses of more than US$230 per month each for as long as the disruption continues. Without urgent and dedicated support, poverty, informality and child labour are expected to increase, according to new ILO assessments of the labour market impact of the disaster.

The ILO focuses on a human-centred approach and highlights the importance of social dialogue to overcome the challenges such as rapid technological advancements, demographic shifts, environmental changes and their negative impact on the world of work. The Declaration likewise emphasizes the need for investment in people’s capabilities, institutions of work, and decent and sustainable work, with a focus on promoting economic growth and social justice, and environmental sustainability.

Focus on the creation of decent jobs and economic recovery

The ILO, in collaboration with the UN, and national and local authorities, has provided humanitarian support including providing containers, and psycho-social support to respond to the emergency needs of the affected people in the disaster-hit region, with a focus on seasonal agricultural workers and child workers.

As the next step, based on the principles of the Declaration, the ILO is preparing to give its focus further on mobilizing its technical expertise and resources for the recovery and reconstruction period with an emphasis on ensuring decent and sustainable jobs, labour-based programmes maintaining business continuity and supporting social partners in the recovery and reconstruction period as key actors of social dialogue.

The ILO Türkiye is also working on needs-assessment research on how to better identify and respond to the impact of the earthquakes and the future of the labour market, and anticipate skills needed in the region.