Global Youth Unemployment Trends

The global youth unemployment rate has slightly improved, now at 13%, but this statistic can be misleading as it masks deeper issues in the labor market, including a significant number of young individuals who are neither working nor studying. There is a growing trend toward temporary and unstable employment, which raises concerns about job security, particularly among youth who have experienced economic volatility since the 2008 crisis and the recent pandemic. Alarmingly, a substantial portion of young women is missing from the workforce, with a noticeable disparity in employment rates compared to young men, causing greater financial anxiety. Additionally, the shift in job opportunities from agriculture to sectors like services is creating a skills mismatch, complicating the transition for many young workers entering the job market.