The new report of the International Labour Organization style="font-size:14.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: "Bookman Old Style”, serif"> (ILO) entitled “Social and Employment Trends 2026" announces that the Global unemployment is expected to remain stable at 4.9% in 2026, but progress towards decent work is stalling.

The report published in Geneva indicates that approximately 186 millions of people remain unemployed globally, if the economic growth is showing resilience. The study highlights a deterioration in the quality of employment. Nearly 300 million workers still live in extreme poverty on less than three dollars a day. The informal sector continues to grow and is expected to absorb 2.1 billion people by the end of 2026. These workers, deprived of social protection and of job security, are mostly found in countries with low income where the transition to higher value-added industries is stagnating.

Report highlights the critical situation of young people and women. In 2025, youth unemployment reached 12.4%, and around 260 millions of young people find themselves in the NEET category (neither in employment, nor in education, not in training). In the poorest countries, this rate is rising to 27.9%.