ILO report says Afghan crisis causing massive job losses

BANGKOK (AP) — More than a half million people in Afghanistan have lost their jobs since the Taliban takeover in mid-August, the International Labor Organization said in a report released Wednesday.

The ILO said the crisis has paralyzed the economy and slammed the labor market. The situation is especially devastating for women and for people working in farming, government posts, social services and construction, with many people losing their jobs or not receiving their wages.

Many companies are hard pressed to stay afloat, as thousands of Afghans flee the country each day. Between 700,000-900,000 jobs are likely to have been lost by June as work becomes more scarce, said the report by the ILO, the United Nations agency working to promote labor standards and decent work for all people.

The economic fallout from the takeover has been vast, with cash shortages and limits on bank withdrawals leaving both companies and individuals struggling.

The economy was already teetering after four decades of war, a severe drought and the pandemic. After the Taliban seized power amid a chaotic withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops, the international community froze Afghanistan’s assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago.

“The situation in Afghanistan is critical and immediate support for stabilization and recovery is required,” Ramin Behzad, senior coordinator of the ILO for Afghanistan, said in a statement.

“While the priority is to meet immediate humanitarian needs, lasting and inclusive recovery will depend on people and communities having access to decent employment, livelihoods and basic services,” he said.

Women held about one in five jobs in Afghanistan in 2020, but...