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ILO: Youth unemployment hits 12.4% in 2025

8/12/2026

38 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

The International Labour Organization reported youth unemployment rose to 12.4% in 2025, affecting 67 million 15-24-year-olds.
The share of NEETs (not in education, employment or training) increased to 20%, or 257 million young people.
Unemployment was highest in the Arab States at 26.2% and in Northern Africa at 22.6%.
The ILO said a 10% loss of the 6.1% AI-related jobs for 15-29-year-olds could affect about 5.6 million workers.

History

Historical Context

The 2008 crisis, sparked by the September collapse of Lehman Brothers, pushed the global recession—defined by the IMF as occurring only in 2009—into a deep downturn that began in December 2007 and ended in June 2009. The IMF warned in April 2009, via Dominique Strauss-Kahn, that without massive job creation youth unemployment would soar, a trend the ILO later highlighted.

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Story summary

The International Labour Organization reported youth unemployment rose to 12.4% in 2025, affecting 67 million 15-24-year-olds.
The share of NEETs (not in education, employment or training) increased to 20%, or 257 million young people.
Unemployment was highest in the Arab States at 26.2% and in Northern Africa at 22.6%.
The ILO said a 10% loss of the 6.1% AI-related jobs for 15-29-year-olds could affect about 5.6 million workers.

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