21 January 2014: The International Labour Organization (ILO) has published ‘Global Employment Trends 2014: Risk of a jobless recovery?’ Among its findings, the report states that stalled progress on reducing working poverty and vulnerable forms of employment could delay achievement of development goals.

Unemployment is becoming more persistent, according to the report, which indicates that global unemployment increased by five million people in 2013, and is predicted to worsen to 215 million by 2018. Unemployment also disproportionately affects youth.

The report describes the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) indicators on productive employment and decent work for all, suggesting the MDG employment indicators be extended or refined to identify those who are excluded and to better capture improvements in workers’ lives and job quality. On the post-2015 development agenda, the report suggests a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on “full and productive employment and decent work” and discusses possible targets and indicators for consideration, including on female participation in the labor market, informality, social participation, working poor and youth unemployment. It further recommends, inter alia, monitoring patterns of structural change and strengthening national collection of labor market statistics.

The report includes an executive summary and three sections on: macroeconomic challenges and global labor market developments; regional economic and labor market developments; and policies for a stronger labor market and more inclusive growth. On regional economic and labor market developments, the report observes that African regional consultations on the post-2015 agenda resulted in agreement on structural transformation and inclusive growth as a desired development outcomes in Africa. [ILO Press Release] [Publication: Global Employment Trends 2014: Risk of a Jobless Recovery]