The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Government of the Netherlands signed an agreement to protect and prepare Ukraine's energy workforce for sustainable recovery. This effort is highly relevant at a time when energy workers continue to operate under extreme and dangerous conditions amid ongoing attacks on critical infrastructure.
The project Protecting and Preparing Ukraine's Energy Workforce for Sustainable Recovery, developed jointly with the Ministry of Energy, the workers' and employers' organizations, supports the frontline energy workers restoring and maintaining electricity, heating and other essential services under heightened security risks and operational strain.
Ukraine's energy workers are keeping the country running under extraordinary and often life-threatening conditions. As attacks on energy infrastructure have intensified in recent months, protecting those carrying out urgent repairs is even more critical. With the support of the Government of the Netherlands, this project places workers' safety and health at the centre of energy resilience, strengthens reintegration pathways for affected groups within the sector, and lays the foundations for a future-ready workforce aligned with Ukraine's recovery and European path.
Aida Lindmeier, Director of the ILO Country Office for Ukraine
Energy repair and maintenance crews play a vital role in ensuring continuity of electricity supply to households, hospitals and enterprises, often while facing shelling, exposure to unexploded ordnance, severe fatigue and psychosocial stress. The project responds to these risks by strengthening occupational safety and health (OSH) systems, expanding psychosocial support, and piloting inclusive workplace measures that enable the safe reintegration of veterans, women, persons with disabilities and internally displaced persons into the energy workforce.
At the same time, the initiative supports longer-term workforce preparedness by helping anticipate skills needs and integrating OSH into training linked to Ukraine's transition towards a more modern, decentralized and greener energy system, including renewable energy and infrastructure recovery.
The Netherlands supports Ukraine in protecting Ukraine's energy workforce. Having visited Ukraine not long ago, I have seen the dire consequences the attacks on Ukraine's energy facilities have on daily life in Ukraine during this extremely harsh winter. Not only the energy facilities are in need for extra support but also the energy workers who are facing extreme challenges to do their daily work.
Through our cooperation with the ILO, we aim to strengthen occupational safety and health in a sector that is severely affected. It is important that energy repairs and maintenance work can be carried out more safely, even under critical conditions, leading to a more resilient energy system in Ukraine.
Aukje de Vries, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of The Netherlands
Implemented in close cooperation with the Government of Ukraine and employers' and workers' organizations, the project is part of the ILO Flagship Programme Safety + Health for All, the development cooperation vehicle of the ILO Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health. Through this framework, the project advances the fundamental rights to a safe and healthy working environment by addressing priority occupational safety and health risks, and delivering sustainable policy and workplace solutions, including in high-risk sectors and supply chains.
