By Rajneesh Bhandari
As I am reporting the ILO’s first ever Youth Employment Forum at their headquarter in Geneva, Switzerland, the statistics released on youth unemployment is quite shocking. The reported titled “Global Employment Trends for Youth 2012” was released this week and it gives a very alarming picture that every youth should think and prepare about.
The report provides a clear picture on the trend of youth unemployment from 1991 to 2012. The report says 12.7 percent of people aged 15 to 24 are unemployed. Last year 12.6 percent of young people were unemployed and in 2007 the rate of youths unemployed was recorded at 11.6 percent. Figures from North Africa shows that a whopping 27.9 percent of youths remained unemployed last year. 26.5 percent of youths were unemployed in the Middle East, 17.6 percent in central and South-Eastern Europe, 14.3 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean, 11.5 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa and 13.5 percent in south-east Asia and the Pacific.
Another shocking information that the report predicts which is that the youth employment rate will remain at the same high level for the coming four years.
ILO says, youth employment also poses a threat to political stability and social cohesion. To cope with the crisis ILO suggests that governments in the world should create more jobs. Not only more but better education and training is needed for the purpose. The report also suggest promotion of youth entrepreneurship, making youth employment a priority, promoting economic diversification, linking education and training to the world of work among others to foster youth employment.
I am among the five young journalists selected from across the globe to cover the YE Forum. I am actually digging out stories from the youth participants of Asia and some unique stories. And trying to learn and share how every youth in the world could get decent work.
If you want to take part in the discussion how could youth employment be improved you can take part on twitter using #YEF.
