The ILO warns that the quality of jobs in the world is decreasing

The Global unemployment fell from 2 million to 172 million in 2018 finally, we returned to the world unemployment rate of 5% recorded the last time before the global financial crisis a decade ago.

The rate is expected to rise to 4.9% this year and remain at this level until 2022, as high-income countries record a further decline in unemployment. However, the figure masks some worrying trends, the ILO said.

"The worsening economic outlook is already affecting some emerging economies and increasing the unemployment rate," said Deborah Greenfield, Deputy Executive Director, at a news conference.

Damian Grimshaw, director of research at the ILO, said 2 billion people, or 61 percent of the global workforce, were in informal jobs, jobs that were generally vulnerable, low paid and without social protection. In most countries, more than half of the agricultural workforce corresponds to these jobs, the report adds.

The figures from informal employment showed that it included more men in high-income countries and more women in poorer countries. In general, women were less likely to be part of the global labor market, with an activity rate of 48% compared to 75% of men.

"The reduction in the gap between men and women has stagnated and is certainly a cause for concern," said Greenfield. Even advanced economies such as the Nordic countries are struggling to bridge the gender gap, he added.

The report also showed that the proportion of the world's population on the labor market was declining because people were living longer and had more retirees, while young people stayed longer in the education system.