Where Data Tells the Story
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The youth unemployment rate by global region in 2024. Youth is defined as individuals between the ages of 15 to 24.
Data comes from the International Labour Organization's 2024 Global Employment Trends for Youth 2024 report.
The Arab States, consisting of countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Yemen, and others, recorded the highest (28.6%) youth unemployment rate globally, with Northern Africa, consisting of countries like Algeria, Egypt, and Morocco, following closely behind at 22.5%.
According to the Brookings Institution, the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region have been the highest in the world for over 25 years.
In 2019, just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, 30% cent of youth in the MENA region were NEET ā not in education, employment, or training, according to the ILO.
Experts say the combination of low infant mortality rates and high fertility rates, which translated into high labour force growth rates from 1970 onwards could be a leading cause of the high youth unemployment rates in the region.