GNV News, 16 August 2026

According to the report “Global Employment Trends for Youth 2026: Back to the Future,” released by the International Labour Organization (ILO) on 11 August, while the employment environment surrounding young people worldwide is showing signs of improvement, there remain large disparities in access to stable jobs. The report states that in 2023 the global youth unemployment rate (ages 15–24) hit the lowest level on record since statistics began, then rose again to 12.4% in 2025, with the number of unemployed reaching 67 million. At the same time, the share of young people who are “NEETs,” belonging to none of employment, education, or vocational training, also grew from 19.7% to 20%, bringing their number to 257 million.

By region, the Arab States (26.2%) and North Africa (22.6%) continued to record the highest levels in the world, while the largest increase was seen in North America, where the rate worsened from 8.3% in 2023 to 9.8% in 2025.

In response to high unemployment rates, dissatisfaction among young people is manifesting in political forms. As the report notes, in 2025, large-scale protest demonstrations led mainly by Generation Z erupted in Nepal against the backdrop of scarce employment opportunities for young people and frustration with politics, forcing the prime minister to resign. The ILO points out that exclusion from employment opportunities is not merely an economic issue, but can also spill over into social cohesion and political stability.

Behind this are, in addition to the slowdown of the global economy and geopolitical tensions, the impact of AI on entry-level jobs such as clerical and administrative positions, and the spread of hiring practices that demand practical work experience from young applicants(the so-called “experience paradox“*). While it is estimated that 6.1% of workers aged 15–29 are employed in occupations that are strongly affected by AI, employment in science, health, and engineering fields is expanding globally, highlighting the importance of investment in education and skills development ( ).

ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo has pointed out that a generation unable to obtain decent work cannot confidently build its future, and emphasized that creating quality jobs for young people is one of the wisest investments a country can make.

As AI and changes in the global economy transform the very nature of labour markets, countries are being called upon to create environments in which young people can acquire the skills they need and gain access to stable employment.

* The contradiction that experience is required to get a job, but one cannot gain experience without getting a job.

To learn more about protests by Generation Z → “The reality behind the protests in Mexico by Generation Z”

To learn more about violations of workers’ rights around the world → “Workers’ rights and international news coverage”

Generation Z protesters in front of Bharatpur municipal office in Nepal (2025) (Photo: हिमाल सुवेदी / Wikimedia Commons [CC BY-SA 4.0])