Islamabad (ILO News) --One month after the earthquake that killed or injured more than 140,000 people in Pakistan and cost over 1.1 million jobs and livelihoods, the International Labour Office (ILO) is working hand-in-hand with local authorities to help people in some of the worst-affected areas rebuild their lives.

“We have been working very closely with the Government, employer and trade union organizations on designing and implementing the relief and rehabilitation strategy,” said Mr Donglin Li, Director of the ILO’s Office for Pakistan. “The ILO estimates that more than 1.1 million jobs and livelihoods were wiped out by the earthquake. “

Mr Li said that initial pilot cash-for-work programmesfocusing on critical minor infrastructure repairs and the removal of earthquake debris have been developed and will be copied and rolled-out across the disaster-affected areas. The first such programme is already underway in Balakot, one of the worst-hit towns where 80 per cent of buildings were reported as levelled.

The scheme - the only one of its kind in the town - pays workers each day and aims to inject cash back into the local economy while helping people get back to work and support themselves. Since the programme commenced on 27 October, more than 830 people, including 200 women, have been engaged on a daily basis.

“When the cash-for-work scheme was launched the response was initially slow because people were too traumatised to think about work,” said Mr Saad Gilani, the ILO’s national team leader in Balakot. “But once people saw others with cash starting to support themselves and their families the numbers started to rise rapidly. Now people from surrounding villages are also approaching us. We think that paid employment is helping people overcome their shock and trauma”.

“The fact that women are also taking part is a positive development because the project pays special attention to vulnerable groups and the needs of women,” he added.

The ILO co-ordinated with the Pakistani military to decide which places and areas to focus the cash-for-work programme on. A similar scheme is expected to start in Muzzafarabad in mid November.

In addition to distributing relief supplies, the ILO is participating in the UN’s Flash Appeal and seeking funds for US$5 million in early recovery and reconstruction projects. The ILO portion of the appeal is part of some US$ 25 million being sought for joint projects during the early recovery and reconstruction phase. Planning for these projects, some of which are joint ventures with other UN agencies, is already underway. In addition, the ILO has also redirected around US$ 200,000 in existing funds to relief efforts.

Among the early recovery and reconstructions projects are:

• Cash-for-work programmes focusing on repairing damaged houses and recycling and removing rubble.
• Rehabilitating key access infrastructure
• Emergency employment services, labour-intensive reconstruction schemes and skills development programmes to help livelihood rebuilding, recreation and reconstruction.
• Child protection programmes to prevent children entering hazardous work or being trafficked, and to release them from worst forms of child labour.

In addition to contributing to the initial assessments of earthquake damage and the recovery needs, the ILO is also undertaking a study of the employment and labour market impact of the earthquake, expected to be completed in December 2005.

“Helping people get back to work is a vital part of the rehabilitation process and for individuals the cash-for-work activity is restoring their independence and dignity within their communities,” Mr Li said. “We must ensure that job creation is one of the top priorities at the donor's conference that will be held on 19th November in Islamabad ”.

For more information please contact:

Saadya Hamdani
ILO-Islamabad
Tel: +92 51 2276456 8
Email

Sophy Fisher
ILO-Bangkok
Tel: + 66 2 288 2482
Email