The International Labour Organization, a subsidiary of the United Nations, released a report on Tuesday saying that the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the Asia-Pacific region to lose 81 million jobs this year. Women and young people have been particularly affected.

Chihoko Asada Miyakawa, Asia Pacific Director of the International Labour Organization, said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to the region's labor market. Many countries have low social security coverage and limited institutional capacity, making it difficult to help businesses and workers get back on their feet.”

The International Labour Organization also said that median income in the Asia-Pacific region is declining due to reduced paid work hours. Overall, the region's labor income fell 9.9% in the first three quarters of this year, equivalent to a 3.4% drop in GDP.

According to the report, the decline in jobs in the Asia-Pacific region is largely due to South Asia. It is estimated that in 2020, the number of jobs in South Asia will be reduced by nearly 50 million compared to before the crisis.

In contrast, it is estimated that East Asia will lose 16 million jobs this year, Southeast Asia will lose 14 million jobs, and the Pacific Islands region will lose 500,000 jobs.