The continuing spread Covid-19 has reversed the decades-long record of strong economic growth in the Asia Pacific region. As governments continue their struggles to contain the pandemic, the labour market has been affected adversely, with businesses, workers of all ages, and the incomes of women and men throughout the region all feeling the pinch.
Even countries that have managed the health crisis well, such as Thailand, are still reeling from the impact on businesses and jobs and are struggling to return to some semblance of normalcy. The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates the world lost 81 million jobs in 2020 compared with pre-crisis trends, while another 22-25 million employed people were pushed into extreme poverty, living on less than US$1.90 per person per day.
China and India, which together account for 59% of the region’s gross domestic…
