BEIJING (ILO News) – The Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office for China and Mongolia, Tim De Meyer, has called on the leaders of G20 countries to provide more support, encouragement and protection for young people in their pursuit of decent jobs.

De Meyer made the call at the Youth Summit (Y20) kicked off on Tuesday, July 27 in Shanghai. As one of the G20 engagement groups, Y20 aims to provide a voice for young people from across the G20 countries to define their role and express their concerns in the pursuit of strong, sustainable and inclusive growth. The theme of this year’s summit is “Youth Innovation for Our Shared Vision”. The participants will exchange views on topics such as poverty reduction and common development, innovation and entrepreneurship, social justice and equal opportunities and sustainable development.

Youth employment stands out among the challenges faced by young people today. Statistics show that young people remain up to 3 times more likely to be unemployed than adults, and that a higher proportion of young people work in jobs that barely or not all allows them to escape poverty. that in the next few years, youth employment will grow much slower than total employment globally, particularly in Eastern Asia largely due to China’s “new normal” of medium/high growth and a stagnant global economy. De Meyer said governments can make a difference in creating decent work for young people.

“Decent work for youth is not a luxury but a choice we have to make if we are to rid the world of poverty and inequality and safeguard the peace and security that underpin our human civilization,” he said.

He called on Y20 delegates to remind G20 Leaders to heed a call for decent jobs for young people. “Decent jobs can be in the factories, the hospitals or even the homes of tomorrow or they can flow from the dreams of young entrepreneurs,” De Meyer said. “But decent jobs will need every support, encouragement and protection they can get from Leaders.”