12 August 2024
A recent report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) sheds light on the complex and uneven landscape of youth employment around the world. While the global job market for young people has shown signs of improvement over the past four years, the report also highlights some alarming trends that threaten to undermine this progress.
Persistent challenges for NEET youth
One of the key findings is the significant number of young people aged 15 to 24 who are not in employment, education, or training (NEETs). This demographic remains a concern, especially given that the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic has been uneven. The ILO report warns that a large percentage of the world’s youth live in countries that are lagging behind in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8.6, which aims to reduce the proportion of NEET youth. Worryingly, these countries are often low-income nations, located in regions where NEET rates were already high before the pandemic.
Regional and gender disparities
The report reveals a stark contrast between different regions. In high-income areas such as East Asia, Eastern Europe, North America, and parts of Europe, youth NEET rates are below 15%. However, in other parts of the world, particularly in the Arab states, East Asia, and South-East Asia and the Pacific, youth unemployment rates have actually increased since 2019. The ILO also points out that young women, in particular, are not benefiting equally from economic recovery, exacerbating existing gender disparities in the labour market.
Youth unemployment trends
Despite these challenges, there are some positive signs. The global youth unemployment rate is at a 15-year low, currently standing at 13%, and it is projected to decrease slightly to 12.8% in the coming years. However, this overall decline masks significant regional variations and does not fully capture the difficulties faced by young people in finding decent work. The report notes that over half of young workers globally are still engaged in informal employment, which offers little job security or social protection.
Long-term outlook: skills, technology, and conflict
The ILO report also examines longer-term trends, highlighting the limited growth in high-skill jobs and the slow pace of modernisation in many traditional sectors. While digitalisation and AI present opportunities to modernise industries, there is still a mismatch between the skills that young people are acquiring and the demands of the job market. This mismatch is particularly pronounced in middle-income countries, where there are not enough high-skill jobs to meet the supply of educated youth.
Another significant concern is the impact of ongoing global conflicts, which threaten the future livelihoods of young people and may force many into migration or extremism. The report stresses the importance of developing skills in green and digital sectors to keep pace with evolving job market demands.
Calls for action
In response to these findings, the ILO is calling for increased investment in job creation, with a particular focus on opportunities for young women. The report advocates for strengthening institutions that support young people during their transition into the labour market, integrating employment with social protection measures, and addressing global inequalities through better international cooperation and public-private partnerships.
As the world navigates the post-pandemic landscape, the need for targeted and effective strategies to support youth employment has never been more critical. The ILO’s report serves as a reminder that while progress has been made, significant challenges remain in ensuring that all young people can access meaningful and secure employment opportunities.
Full report available here.
