2009 may wipe out recent employment gains - ILO

DAKAR: The global economic meltdown originating from high-income countries may reverse recent employment gains for workers in the poorest nations, according to the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) latest Global Employment Trends Report.

29 Jan 2009

While overall unemployment has decreased in recent years in sub-Saharan Africa to 7.9%, ILO predicts that up to 50 million people could become unemployed in 2009, with the hardest hit region being sub-Saharan Africa.

The region has the world's youngest working population and 75% of available jobs there are considered “vulnerable,” according to ILO. The agency estimated that one-third of job-seeking youths have simply given up or are working in jobs that pay less than US$2 a day.

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