jordan pulse -

​Arab states continue to record the highest youth unemployment rate globally at 26.2%, according to a new report published by the International Labour Organization (ILO) titled "Global Employment Trends for Youth 2026: Back to the Future."
​The report highlighted that North Africa also registered a high youth unemployment rate of 22.6%, with at least one in three young people across the Arab world and North Africa currently not in employment, education, or training (NEET). Globally, the NEET rate among youth aged 15 to 24 rose slightly in 2025 to 20%, encompassing over 257 million individuals.
​Between 2023 and 2025, youth unemployment increased in 8 out of 11 global subregions amid stagnant economic growth and slow job creation, imposing further barriers to entering the labor market.
​ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo emphasized that a generation lacking access to decent work cannot build a secure future, warning that depriving youth of quality employment results in lost talent, reduced productivity, and weakened social cohesion. Houngbo stressed that expanding decent job opportunities for youth represents one of the most critical investments a nation can make.
​Source: Rum Online News Agency