Decent Work for Youth: An overview of Global and Regional Trends major challenges and policy implications with special emphasis on Canada, Mexico and the United States Produced and resented by Armand F. Pereira[1] Director, ILO Washington Office,[1] In collaboration with the ILO Employment Trends Team and the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean

Dimensions of the global “Decent Work” deficit Nearly 1 billion workers unemployed and underemployed, incl. nearly 195 million in “open unemployment”; Yet +/- 220 million working between 5 and 17, including at least 135 million exploited in hazardous, illicit and other intolerable forms of work. Global growth in reduced absolute poverty, but did not create enough jobs in quantity and quality to meet poverty reduction targets in some regions and globally. Some 12.4 million estimated victims of forced labor + trafficking; including about 1.2 million children trafficked. 86 million migrant workers, including 34 million in DCs, partially illegally working, without emp contracts, min. rights and min. protection 50% of 2.8 billion workers live below $2/day and 19% below $1/day. 1 billion youth; 85% living in DCs; 45% of the unemployed; Significant “gender gap” in QT and QL of jobs and $; the gap worsens when combined with race/ethnicity. Nearly 2 million work-related deaths each year; 4 out of 5 people lack adequate social security coverage, etc. +/- 126 million workers in the LAC (half of the total) have a DW deficit.

Unemployment rates by region, 2007

United States and Canada: Labour Force Employment-to-Population Ratio and Unemployment Rate, (Average annual rates) Source: ILO database. Castillo et al (2006). a/Note: All series refer to persons 16 years and over. b/ All series refer to persons 16 years and over. UNITED STATES a/ CANADA b/

LAC --  <--- OECD South Asia E.Asia Sub-Saharan Africa

School enrolment improving And young women increasing more than young men

School enrolment improving, and young women are overtaking young men

United States and Canada: Real Minimum Wage, Real Average Wage and Labour Productivity, a/ Source: ILO database. Castillo et al (2006). a/According to OECD terminology, the business sector is defined as the total economy less the public sector. Hence business sector employees are defined as total employees less public sector employees. UNITED STATES CANADA

Recommendations of the OAS-ILO 5 Nov. Roundtable for the Fifth Summit of the Americas …fostering decent work for youth, through policies that tackle the challenges of employability, youth enterprises, and social protection, with emphasis on the most vulnerable groups of young people. … priority …to strengthen access to education and professional training and the quality of those undertakings, incorporation into first jobs, the development of entrepreneurship, and appropriate interconnections with the productive sector. Emphasize the major role played by partnerships between governments, the private sector, workers’ and employers’ organizations, and the participation of young people, in the design and execution of those policies. Support the labor ministries [to] …design and execute policies and plans of action for promoting decent work and productive jobs for young people, with the participation of organizations of workers, employers, and youth.