Nairobi: The International Labour Organization (ILO) has called for stronger policies to help young people navigate an increasingly difficult transition from education to decent work amid rising informal employment, gender disparities, skills mismatches, and rapid technological change.
According to Kenya News Agency, the call comes as the ILO’s Global Employment Trends for Youth 2026 report shows that global youth unemployment rose from 12.3 percent in 2023 to 12.4 percent in 2025, leaving 67 million young people unemployed. Additionally, the global rate of young people Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) also increased from 19.7 percent to 20 percent, representing more than 257 million young people.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, youth unemployment stood at 8.4 percent in 2025, while the NEET rate was 21.6 percent. Sara Elder, Head of the Employment Analysis and Economic Policy Unit in the ILO Employment Policies Department and author of the report, cautioned that the regional unemployment figures should not be directly interpreted as Kenya’s rate, noting the lack of regular labour force statistics from Kenya.
Elder emphasized the need for interventions that cover job growth, social protection, regulatory frameworks, enterprise development, skills development, compliance, and enforcement to transition young people to formal work. She highlighted the complexity of informality and the importance of enterprise registration as a means to provide basic labour protections.
Furthermore, Elder addressed the gender gap in youth NEET rates, stressing the critical role of care and labour-market policies. She also urged governments to take a proactive approach to technological transformation to protect young people from job displacement and discrimination, advocating for lifelong learning and social protection systems.
Jealous Chirove, Senior Employment Specialist at ILO-Pretoria, insisted that Kenya should strengthen its employment policy to adapt to digital transformation, youth employment, and climate change. He highlighted the importance of sustaining economic growth and ensuring that job creation benefits young jobseekers.
Chirove pointed out that the informal economy creates more than 84 percent of jobs in Kenya, emphasizing the need for investment in education, employable skills, and job-creating policies. He also noted the potential of Kenya’s expanding digital infrastructure to create employment opportunities.
COTU-K Secretary-General Dr. Francis Atwoli observed that the changing labour market exposes young people to precarious work. He advocated for the formalisation of workers in emerging sectors and called for transparency and human oversight in algorithmic management affecting employment conditions.
Dr. Atwoli also raised concerns about the “experience trap” faced by young graduates. He called for stronger school-to-work frameworks and urged employers to recognize competencies gained through internships and volunteering. COTU-K’s engagement with government and international partners is focused on tripartism and social dialogue, aiming for youth employment policies that prioritize job quality, security, and sustainability.
