Rural Youth and Labor Outlook: Global and Regional Trends

Jesica Seacor, JD, MBAAssistant Director

ILO Washington Office

June 4, 2007

Presentation Outline

1. ILO and youth / labor today2. Global trends 3. Regional trends4. In focus: rural youth5. Conclusions

The Decent Work Agenda

“The primary goal of the ILO today is topromote opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work, in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.”

Juan Somavia, ILO Director-General

Key ILO Issues around the World 180 million workers are currently unemployed and

underemployed 50% of workers in the world live below $2 per day Nearly 2 million work-related deaths each year 4 out of 5 people around the world lack adequate

social security coverage Nearly 218 million children are engaged in child

labor 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, with 9

out of 10 adults in their prime productive and reproductive years

12.4 million people are forced laborers More than 1 billion youth, with 85% living in

developing countries

International Youth and Labor Today

Unprecedented “youth bulge” (12-24 year-olds): 1.5 billion total, with 1.3 billion in developing countries Seizing opportunities in the population

Because labor is the main asset of the poor, making it more productive is the best way to reduce poverty Investing in youth - NOW

Health and education essential to building stronger base of human capital

Labor migrants primarily comprised of youth

Global Youth and Labor Trends

● Investments during youth’s “five life transitions” (*) :

1. learning after primary school age2. starting a productive working life

* not starting work too early* breaking into the job market* moving to new jobs and up the skill

ladder3. growing up healthy4. forming families5. exercising citizenship

(*) World Development Report, 2007: Development and the Next Generation, © 2006 The World Bank, Washington, DC

Global Youth and Labor Trends

●

Policies should focus not only on youth’s opportunities but also on their capabilities and second chances:> Improving basic skills –

intervene earlier in the life cycle and focus on quality

> Meeting the demand for higher order skills – improve the relevance of secondary and

tertiary education> Accumulating skills on the job –

ease barriers to start work and facilitate mobility> Participating in civic life –

enhance youth voice in policy and service delivery

Global Youth and Labor Trends

●Enhancing capabilities: youth as decision makers

Informing youth* improve the curricula in and convey the

value of schools* examine options outside schools* harvest worldwide knowledge through

new technologies to inform youth* improve the delivery and management

of information to ensure that what should be taught is taught well

Global Youth and Labor Trends

●Enhancing capabilities: youth as decision makers

* Helping young people command resources * Enhancing the capacity to decide well

Policies to offer second chances: * Targeting programs finely * Integrating second chances with mainstream programs * Rehabilitation with accountability

Global Youth and Labor Trends

●Moving forward:

Better coordination and integration with national policy * Stronger voice * More evaluation

Regional Trends

●Significant variation across regions:

> East Asia (dominated by China) has peaked and is set to decline

> Sub Saharan Africa = 4x 1950 population level = continued rapid growth

> South Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Middle East and North Africa between the two extremes

Challenges for Rural Youth

Rural non-farm economiesRural non-farm economies generate 30-50% of generate 30-50% of rural incomes throughout the developing worldrural incomes throughout the developing world

i.e., Latin America, about 50% (ages 15-24) and > i.e., Latin America, about 50% (ages 15-24) and > 65% (ages 25-34) work in non-farm activities65% (ages 25-34) work in non-farm activities

Facilitating mobility: Facilitating mobility: for 29 developing for 29 developing countries, youth are 40% more likely than older countries, youth are 40% more likely than older people to move from rural to urban areaspeople to move from rural to urban areas

i.e., China’s rural-urban migrationi.e., China’s rural-urban migration

Challenges for Rural Youth

190 million people 190 million people live outside country of birth, live outside country of birth, 49.6% women, 50.4 % men49.6% women, 50.4 % men

82% of migrants are from developing countries, 82% of migrants are from developing countries, with small island countries comprising the largestwith small island countries comprising the largest

32-39 million youth migrants32-39 million youth migrants are from are from developing countries.developing countries.

Challenges for Rural Youth

UN/World Bank Initiatives:UN/World Bank Initiatives:

Youth Employment Network (YEN)Youth Employment Network (YEN)

Intra21Intra21

International Youth FoundationInternational Youth Foundation

In closing

●Questions and Answers

● http://www.ilo.org● http://www.us.ilo.org (coming soon)

Thank you!