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Media advisory

ILO evaluates impact of COVID-19 crisis on informal economy workers

Media advisory | 06 May 2020
GENEVA (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO) will release the latest estimates of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on workers in the informal economy.

A new policy brief outlines the impact of the pandemic on the world’s 2 billion informal workers, many of whom have to make the choice between putting themselves at risk of contracting the virus or feeding their families.

The brief also includes a number of recommendations to lessen the impact on these workers’ livelihoods and the wider economy.

A factsheet will provide the latest regional and sectoral data, while a separate brief will outline the impact of COVID-19 on domestic workers around the world, many of whom are in the informal economy.

EMBARGO: The policy brief and all associated materials will be under STRICT EMBARGO until Thursday 7 May at 13:00 GMT (15:00 Geneva time).

For UNOG-accredited correspondents an embargoed virtual press briefing will take place on Thursday 7 May from 12:00 to 13:00 GMT (14:00 to 15:00 Geneva time). Login details will be sent to journalists ahead of the briefing.

The findings will be presented by:
  • Philippe Marcadent, Chief, ILO INWORK Branch
  • Florence Bonnet, labour market and informal economy specialist
  • Claire Hobden, domestic workers specialist
  • Nuno Cunha, social protection specialist (Bangkok)
  • Annamarie Kiaga, informal economy specialist (Harare)
  • Elva Mourelo, inclusive labour market specialist (Buenos Aires)
Embargoed copies of the press release and materials can be made available to recognized media on request.

Audio of the briefing will be available to the Palais press corps and registered journalists after the press conference.

For further information and to arrange media interviews please contact the ILO Department of Communication: newsroom@ilo.org.

For broadcast coverage and interviews please contact: multimedia@ilo.org.