Despite seeing progress in the last four years, global youth unemployment has hit the lowest level for 15 years and is likely to continue to fall, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) said, adding that Asia lagged this trend.
In its report titled “Global Employment Trends for Youth 2024 (GET for Youth), the ILO said that 64.9 million people aged between 15 and 24 worldwide were unemployed last year, good for a rate of 13% and in the Arab States, East Asia, South-East Asia and the Pacific, youth unemployment rates were higher in 2023 than in 2019.
The report finds that young men have benefited more from the labour market recovery than young women. The youth unemployment rates of young women and young men in 2023 were nearly equal (at 12.9 per cent for young women and 13 per cent for young men), unlike the pre-pandemic years when the rate for young men was higher. And the global youth NEET rate of young women doubled that of young men (at 28.1 per cent and 13.1 per cent, respectively) in 2023.
“The report reminds us that opportunities for young people are highly unequal; with many young women, young people with limited financial means or from any minority background still struggling. Without equal opportunities to education and decent jobs, millions of young people are missing out on their chances for a better future,” Gilbert F Houngbo, ILO Director-General, said.
The ILO asked people to group together to counter young people’s anxieties about the world of work and reinforcing their hope for a brighter future.
In a message to young readers, the report’s authors ask them to add their voices to calls for change. “You have the possibility to influence policy and to advocate for decent work for all. Know your rights and continue investing in your skills,” the message says. “Be a part of the change that we all need to ensure a socially just and inclusive world.”
ILO warns youth aged between 15 to 24
In the report t the ILO highlights the challenges faced by young people in the job market. The report notes that the number of young people who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET) is a cause for concern. In 2023, one in five young people globally were NEET, with two in three of these being female. The report also points out that opportunities for decent jobs remain limited in emerging and developing economies, with more than half of young workers in informal employment.
The lack of progress in gaining decent jobs is a significant issue for young workers. The report states that “only in high- and upper-middle-income economies are the majority of young workers today in a regular, secure job. And three in four young workers in low-income countries will get only a self-employed or temporary paid job.” The continuing high NEET rates and insufficient growth of decent jobs are causing growing anxiety among today’s youth, who are also the most educated youth cohort ever.
Houngbo emphasized the importance of decent work for youth, stating, “None of us can look forward to a stable future when millions of young people around the world do not have decent work and as a result, are feeling insecure and unable to build a better life for themselves and their families. Peaceful societies rely on three core ingredients: stability, inclusion, and social justice; and decent work for the youth is at the heart of all three.”
What are the report findings
In its report titled “Global Employment Trends for Youth 2024 (GET for Youth), the ILO said that 64.9 million people aged between 15 and 24 worldwide were unemployed last year, good for a rate of 13% and in the Arab States, East Asia, South-East Asia and the Pacific, youth unemployment rates were higher in 2023 than in 2019.
The report finds that young men have benefited more from the labour market recovery than young women. The youth unemployment rates of young women and young men in 2023 were nearly equal (at 12.9 per cent for young women and 13 per cent for young men), unlike the pre-pandemic years when the rate for young men was higher. And the global youth NEET rate of young women doubled that of young men (at 28.1 per cent and 13.1 per cent, respectively) in 2023.
“The report reminds us that opportunities for young people are highly unequal; with many young women, young people with limited financial means or from any minority background still struggling. Without equal opportunities to education and decent jobs, millions of young people are missing out on their chances for a better future,” Gilbert F Houngbo, ILO Director-General, said.
The ILO asked people to group together to counter young people’s anxieties about the world of work and reinforcing their hope for a brighter future.
In a message to young readers, the report’s authors ask them to add their voices to calls for change. “You have the possibility to influence policy and to advocate for decent work for all. Know your rights and continue investing in your skills,” the message says. “Be a part of the change that we all need to ensure a socially just and inclusive world.”
ILO warns youth aged between 15 to 24
In the report t the ILO highlights the challenges faced by young people in the job market. The report notes that the number of young people who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET) is a cause for concern. In 2023, one in five young people globally were NEET, with two in three of these being female. The report also points out that opportunities for decent jobs remain limited in emerging and developing economies, with more than half of young workers in informal employment.
The lack of progress in gaining decent jobs is a significant issue for young workers. The report states that “only in high- and upper-middle-income economies are the majority of young workers today in a regular, secure job. And three in four young workers in low-income countries will get only a self-employed or temporary paid job.” The continuing high NEET rates and insufficient growth of decent jobs are causing growing anxiety among today’s youth, who are also the most educated youth cohort ever.
Houngbo emphasized the importance of decent work for youth, stating, “None of us can look forward to a stable future when millions of young people around the world do not have decent work and as a result, are feeling insecure and unable to build a better life for themselves and their families. Peaceful societies rely on three core ingredients: stability, inclusion, and social justice; and decent work for the youth is at the heart of all three.”
What are the report findings
- Growth in “modern” services and in manufacturing jobs for youth has been limited, although modernization can be brought to traditional sectors through digitalization and AI.
- There are not enough high-skill jobs for the supply of educated youth, especially in middle-income countries.
- Keeping skills development on pace with evolving demands for green and digital skills will be critical to reducing education mismatches.
- The growing number of conflicts threatens young people’s future livelihoods and can push them into migration or towards extremism.
- Demographic trends, notably the African ‘youthquake’ means creating enough decent jobs, will be critical for social justice and the global economy.