Decent Work and Youth: Latin America. Executive Summary
<div style="text-align: justify">Youth employment was considered as a priority by the “Decent work: An agenda for hemisphere, 2006–2015”, presented by the Director-General of the ILO, Juan Somavia, during the XVI Regional Meeting of the American States Members of the ILO (2006) obtaining the support of the tripartite delegations that attended the meeting. Moreover, in the Decade of the Promotion of Decent Work, approved by the Meeting, it was settled as a main objective –regarding youth– to encourage more vocational training and a better insertion in the labour market.</div>
Most of the studies and documents dealing with youth and employment in the region emphasize that young people face much higher unemployment rates than adults. In Latin America and the Caribbean, (LAC), open unemployment is 17%, while among adults the rate is 6%. This ratio is almost one to three, although in other countries the difference is greater. Among the unemployed, young persons represent 46% of the total. In2005 youth unemployment rates were, on average, greater than those in 1990.
Notwithstanding the magnitude of youth unemployment, this is only one of the problems young people face in the region’s labour market. There are 10 million unemployed young persons; at the same time, 22 million young persons are not studying or working, and more than 30 million are informal workers or work in precarious conditions. The precarious conditions in the region’s labour markets affect one out of every two workers and two out of three young persons.
Notwithstanding the magnitude of youth unemployment, this is only one of the problems young people face in the region’s labour market. There are 10 million unemployed young persons; at the same time, 22 million young persons are not studying or working, and more than 30 million are informal workers or work in precarious conditions. The precarious conditions in the region’s labour markets affect one out of every two workers and two out of three young persons.
Additional details
Author(s)
- ILO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean.
References
- ISBN: 978-92-2-120291-2, 978-92-2-120292-9