ILO Chief Urges G7 to Act Boldly for Youth as One in Five Faces Job or Education Gap

Houngbo called for targeted measures to address disproportionately low labour market participation and higher NEET rates among youth with disabilities.

ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo has urged the world’s leading economies to take bold, coordinated action to empower young people amid deepening challenges in global labour markets. Speaking at the G7 Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting, held online under Canada’s presidency, Houngbo warned that structural barriers continue to deny millions of youth access to education, employment, or training — with serious long-term consequences for social cohesion and economic growth.

The meeting’s theme, “Empowering Youth for the Future of Work,” focused on equipping young people with the skills, protections, and opportunities needed to navigate an evolving labour landscape shaped by rapid technological change, demographic shifts, and persistent inequalities.

A Stark Warning: One in Five Youth Left Behind

Houngbo underscored the urgency of the situation:

• One in five young people worldwide is not in education, employment or training (NEET).

• Two-thirds of NEET youth are women, reflecting entrenched gender inequality.

• In G7 countries, youth unemployment remains 6.5 percentage points higher than adult unemployment, a gap that has remained stubborn for decades.

“The current young generation is the most educated in history,” Houngbo said. “Yet one in five young people is not in education, employment or training. This is not a temporary issue — it is a structural feature of labour markets. We must focus on empowering young people for the future of work, not just in principle, but in practice.”

He warned that neglecting youth would erode trust and destabilize societies: “If young people see only insecurity, the reservoir of unrealized potential will weaken our social cohesion. But if they see ladders of opportunity, they will climb, innovate, and foster prosperity.”

G7 Ministers Commit to Strengthening Inclusive Labour Markets

In their joint communiqué, G7 Labour and Employment Ministers committed to:

• Tackling youth unemployment and barriers to workforce entry

• Strengthening skills development for the future labour market

• Enhancing resilience and adaptability across the workforce

• Expanding opportunities for persons with disabilities

• Supporting inclusive and sustainable economic growth

Ministers emphasized that equipping workers to thrive in the evolving world of work — particularly amid digital and technological transformation — is a shared responsibility across governments, employers, and educational systems.

Three Priorities for G7 Action

Houngbo outlined three priority areas where G7 leadership is essential:

1. Equip youth for technological transformation

He highlighted the G7 Action Plan on Artificial Intelligence, which aims to ensure equitable inclusion of young people in an AI-driven economy. Digital skills, cybersecurity, data literacy, and human-AI collaboration were identified as core competencies for future jobs.

2. Enable full participation of youth with disabilities

Houngbo called for targeted measures to address disproportionately low labour market participation and higher NEET rates among youth with disabilities. He emphasized the need for improved disability-disaggregated labour market statistics to inform evidence-based policies.

3. Address structural barriers to decent work

The Director-General advocated for:

• Strong school-to-work transition systems

• National youth guarantee programmes

• Expanded social protection systems

• Investment in quality apprenticeships and vocational education

These measures, he said, are essential to ensure every young person has access to decent work.

AI and the Future of Work: A Central Focus

At the meeting, Ministers launched a compendium of best practices for the human-centred development and use of Artificial Intelligence in the world of work. The document was developed with input from G7 members, the OECD, and the ILO, and outlines practical guidance for responsible innovation, ethical labour practices, and inclusive digital transformation.

The Ministers stressed that coordinated global action is critical to manage AI’s risks while maximizing its potential to improve productivity, create new job opportunities, and support more equitable labour markets.

ILO Reaffirms Its Commitment to G7 Support

Houngbo concluded by reaffirming the ILO’s readiness to help G7 countries implement policies that promote inclusive, forward-looking labour markets: “The future of work must be a future of decent work for all. The ILO stands ready to support G7 efforts to ensure that no young person is left behind.”

With youth unemployment and skills mismatches rising in many countries, the G7’s commitments mark an important step toward shaping a more equitable and sustainable future for the global workforce.