World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2025

On 16th January 2025, the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2025 report highlights the global economy's sluggish growth and its impact on labour markets.

Key Points

India Drives Growth in Southern Asia: India’s GDP growth, at 6.9% in 2024 and a forecasted 6.4% in 2025, underpins Southern Asia’s economic performance, with the region expected to grow by 5.8% in 2025.
Global Employment Trends: Global unemployment remained steady at 5% in 2024, but youth unemployment persisted at a high 12.6%, with informal work and working poverty returning to pre-pandemic levels.
Economic Growth and Inflation: Global economic growth slowed to 3.2% in 2024, with inflation easing but still eroding real wages in many countries.
Labour Force Participation: Southern Asia saw significant increases in female workforce participation, particularly in India, though gender gaps in labour markets remain wide globally.
Global Jobs Gap: The jobs gap reached 402 million in 2024, comprising 186 million unemployed, 137 million temporarily unavailable to work, and 79 million discouraged workers.