ILO Report Highlights Challenges for Global Youth Employment and Training

GENEVA — Despite an improving labor market for young people globally, a significant number remain disengaged from both employment and education, the International Labour Organization (ILO) revealed in its latest report. The Global Employment Trends for Youth 2024 (GET for Youth) underscores a mixed recovery in youth employment post-COVID-19, with variations across regions and significant gender disparities.

According to Philippines News Agency, while the global youth unemployment rate has reached a 15-year low, falling to 13 percent in 2023 from 13.8 percent in 2019, not all regions or demographic groups have benefited equally. In particular, the Arab States, East Asia, and South-East Asia and the Pacific have seen youth unemployment rates rise compared to pre-pandemic levels. The report also notes persistent challenges in securing decent employment, especially in emerging and developing economies.

Despite these overall gains, one in five young people worldwide, or 20.4 percent, were categorized as NEET (not in employment, education, or training) in 2023, with two-thirds of these being female. This statistic highlights significant ongoing challenges in integrating young people into productive and rewarding careers. Furthermore, the report highlights the prevalence of informal employment among young workers globally, with more than half of them engaged in such jobs, which often lack security and benefits.

The ILO has called for increased and targeted investment to address these challenges, emphasizing the need for enhanced job creation specifically for young women, strengthening institutions to support youth transitions in the labor market, integrating employment and social protection for young people, and tackling global inequalities through improved international cooperation and public-private partnerships.