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The ILO and the BRICS

BRICS is a grouping acronym referring to the countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Since 2009, BRICS countries are meeting annually at formal summits and the ILO is supporting the respective BRICS presidencies.

Facts & Figures

  • The unemployment rate in BRICS countries decreased to 4.8 per cent in 2022 and is projected to decrease further to 4.7 per cent in 2023.
  • About 9.8 per cent of the adult and 28.4 per cent of the youth labour force was underutilized in 2019; i.e. they were either unemployed, underemployed or not in employment but interested in working, however existing conditions limit their active job search and/or their availability.
  • The gender gap in the labour force participation rate stood at 27.7 percentage points in 2022, almost unchanged from 27.8 percentage points in 2021 and 27.6 percentage points in 2020.
  • The youth unemployment rate decreased to 18.8 per cent in 2022, down from 22.4 per cent in 2020.
  • The share of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET) for men decreased to 15.4 per cent in 2022, from 18.3 per cent in 2020, and for women it remained nearly constant at 35.8 per cent in 2022, compared to 36.1 per cent in 2020.
  Source: ILOSTAT, 7 February 2023, more information: https://ilostat.ilo.org

ILO contributions to the BRICS

  1. 9th BRICS Labour and Employment Ministerial Meeting

    ILO Director-General spotlights inequalities and labour market insecurities in speech to BRICS

    28 September 2023

  2. Employment Working Group

    Improving skills for workers in the informal economy to promote decent work and enhance transitions to formality

    02 March 2023

  3. Employment Working Group

    Improving skills and lifelong learning for workers in the informal economy to promote decent work and enhance transitions to formality

    02 March 2023

  4. Employment Working Group

    Universal access to social protection and ensuring basic income security - Presentation

    02 March 2023

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