Global Employment and Social Outlook Report, 2025

Why in News?

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has released the Global Employment and Social Outlook Report, 2025.

Key findings of the report:

Decline in labour force participation:

• Labour force participation has declined in low-income countries. In contrast, it is continuously increasing in high-income countries.
• Labour force participation rate has increased significantly in South Asia.
• This is mainly due to the increase in female participation in India.

Global economic growth

• Global economic growth is projected to be 3.2% in 2024, which is lower than 3.3 and 3.6% in 2023 and 2022 respectively.
• India's growth rate is the fastest in the world, which underlines the better performance of GDP in South Asia.
• The growth rate for India is estimated to be 6.4% in 2025.

Recovery Challenges:

• Geopolitical tensions, rising costs of climate change and unresolved debt pose challenges to recovery and put pressure on labour markets.

Global Jobs Gap:

• The number of people who want to work but do not have a job is estimated to reach 402 million in 2024.
• This includes unemployed, temporarily unavailable and discouraged workers who have stopped looking for a job.

Unemployment Rate:

• Global unemployment remains stable at 5% in 2024, with youth unemployment at 12.6%.

Jobs in Green and Digital Sectors:

• Job growth potential has been identified in green energy and digital technologies.
• Renewable energy jobs worldwide have increased to 16.2 million, driven by investments in solar and hydrogen power. 
• Many low-income countries lack the infrastructure and critical skills to fully benefit from digital technologies.

Key recommendations:

• Decent work and productive employment required to achieve social justice and sustainable development goals
• Increasing productivity by investing in skills training
• Expanding social security
• Encouraging effective use of private funds for local development in low-income countries
• Providing better access to safe working conditions to reduce inequality

International Labour Organisation (ILO):

• Introduction: Specialized agency of the United Nations
• Formed: 11 April 1919
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Membership: 187
• Nobel Peace Prize: 1969
• Objective: To advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards
• Mission:
  • To set and promote standards and fundamental principles and rights at the workplace
  • To create maximum and decent employment and income opportunities for women and men
  • Coverage of social security for all and enhancing effectiveness
  • Strengthening tripartism (governments, employers and workers) and social dialogue