New Telegraph

COVID-19: NLC wants universal access to social protection

Disturbed over the negative impact of the COVID- 19 pandemic on global employment, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has advocated implementation of the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) centenary declaration, which called for universal access to social protection for all workers.

 

Presidentof theNLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who made this known while delivering his address at the 2020 ILO Virtual Global Summit, stressed the need to tackle the existing gaps and informality in social protection for workers.

 

While noting that about 71 per cent out of the over 2 billion workers globally have little or no access to social protection, heexpressedworrythattheCOVID- 19pandemichasworsened the situation by worsening the vulnerabilities of workers, leaving those exposed to decent work deficits to matters of basic human survival.

 

He urged Trade Unions to make efforts and connect with civil society allies nationally and globally to promote universal social protection, and equally called for the establishment of a network of government champions for universal social protection.

 

In his words: “Job losses, loss of income and livelihoods, lack of paid sick leave and lack of access to healthcare have resulted in whole communities and economies, faced with lock-down measures, finding it very difficult to manage local and national uncertainties of health and socio-economic impacts.

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