This archive report was first published on 3 May 2021.
Published on May 3, 2021, a Gallup poll revealed that one in two people worldwide saw their earnings drop due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey, conducted across 117 countries, found that people in low-income countries were particularly hard hit by job losses or cuts to their working hours.
According to the poll, 1.6 billion adults globally experienced a decrease in earnings due to the pandemic. The percentages of people who earned less varied across countries, ranging from a high of 76% in Thailand to a low of 10% in Switzerland.
Women, who are over-represented in low-paid precarious sectors such as retail, tourism, and food services, were disproportionately affected by the pandemic. A study by the international charity Oxfam estimated that the pandemic had cost women around the world $800 billion in lost income.
The Gallup poll also found that more than half of those surveyed said they temporarily stopped working at their job or business, translating to about 1.7 billion adults globally. Countries where people were least likely to say they stopped working were predominantly developed, high-income countries.
These findings highlight the devastating impact of the pandemic on workers worldwide, particularly in low-income countries. The data underscores the need for targeted support and relief measures to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on vulnerable populations.
