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Global Employment Trends for Youth 2004
Released 11 August 2004
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Young women and men are the world’s greatest asset for the present and future, but they also represent
a group with serious vulnerabilities. In recent years increasing global unemployment has hit young people
the hardest and today’s youth are faced with high levels of economic and social uncertainty. All too often,
their full potential is not realized because they do not have access to productive and protected jobs.
Compared to adults, the youth of today are more than three times as likely to be unemployed. Yet open
unemployment is but the tip of the iceberg. In both industrialized and developing economies, young people
are more likely to find themselves working longer hours under informal employment, intermittent (temporary,
part-time, casual) work and insecure arrangements, which tend to be characterized by low productivity, low
wages and limited labour protection. There can be no doubt that there is a link between youth unemployment
and vulnerability; an inability to find a job creates a sense of exclusion and uselessness among youths and
can heighten the attraction of engaging in illegal activities. In addition, an individual’s previous
unemployment experience has been proven to have implications for his future employment chances.
This report continues the ILO Global Employment Trends series to provide a valuable analysis of the current
labour market trends of young people. It incorporates the most recent information available in order to shed
light on the possible factors contributing to the increasing difficulties youth face today when trying to
enter the labour force. The report identifies indicators which help to quantify the situation of young workers
with an eye towards identifying the specific challenges necessary to meet the UN Millennium Declaration
initiative to "develop and implement strategies that give young people everywhere a real chance to find decent
and productive work". The information provided here also offers a concise picture of where decent work
opportunities are most needed around the world.
For further technical information on World and Regional Estimation processes, click here.
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More women work today than ever before. In 2003, 1.1 billion of the
world's 2.8 billion workers, or 40 per cent, were women, representing a
worldwide increase of nearly 200 million women in employment in the past
10 years. However, women still face higher unemployment rates, receive
lower wages than men and represent 60 per cent of the world's 550 million
working poor.
By analysing 7 labour market indicators, the Global Employment Trends for
Women 2004 finds that the explosive growth in the female workforce has not
been accompanied by true socio-economic empowerment for women, nor has it
led to equal pay for equal work or balanced other benefits making women
equal to men across nearly all occupations. In short, true equality in the
world of work is still out of reach.
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Since the first issue of this report in January 2003, a slow economic
upturn has once again resulted in a deteriorating global employment
situation. For the second time, this report provides a valuable analysis
of current labour market trends around the world. It incorporates the most
recent information available, shedding light on possible factors
contributing to the downturn affecting many workers today.
The impacts of the sluggish global recovery in 2003, of the Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and its effect on tourism, of the
ongoing conflict in Iraq and of the worldwide threat of terrorism have
been different in different regions of the world, and this report reveals
how women and young people have – once again – been especially hard
hit, particularly in the developing world. Covering Latin America and the
Caribbean, East Asia, South-East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and
North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, the transition economies and
industrialized countries, this volume focuses on the distinct labour
market characteristics and challenges faced by each region and economic
group.
The report traces the various factors contributing to the global
employment decline – such as the increase in employment in the informal
economy, the decrease in employment in information and communication
technology, as well as extensive job losses in travel and tourism and in
the export and labour-intensive manufacturing sectors. Countries in
fragile financial situations and those experiencing armed conflict and
violence have also seen rising unemployment and poverty.
Clearly, the global employment challenges are many and some are daunting.
The information provided here offers a concise picture of the current
situation and of where economic growth and decent work opportunities are
most needed around the world.
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