High-income countries often take the wastewater management process for granted. Yet only 58 per cent of the world’s domestic wastewater is safely treated, with significant variation across regions. For World Toilet Day, we delve into the data to gain a better understanding of employment in the water collection, treatment and supply and sewerage industries in different country contexts.
Despite women breaking barriers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations and some overcoming obstacles in leadership roles, the transformation of the gender landscape in the workplace remains somewhat limited. Explore the latest insights from the new ILO database Worker and Sector Profiles.
Technology has severely affected demand for postal services. At the same time employment in the industry is still rising in most countries, driven by rapid growth in courier activities. This apparent contradiction in fact supports the idea that while technological progress can destroy jobs and displace workers, it can also create more jobs, creating a positive overall effect. Looking to the future, reskilling, upskilling and support to help postal services accelerate their digitalization and diversification processes will be key to building the resilience and adaptability of workers and enterprises in the sector.
Data insights reveal important teacher shortages in many countries around the world, and declining numbers of vocational education teachers at a time when we need them the most. Policies to improve education quality and outcomes must consider not only students and learners, but also and importantly, teachers.
In-depth tourism employment data can provide valuable insights for shaping policies that benefit enterprises and improve the welfare of workers in the industry.
Despite some progress, gender wage gaps persist and are even widening in some occupations. Gender wage gaps are not primarily attributable to differences in educational attainment, and in general do not narrow but rather often increase with age.
More than 72 million youth in Africa are not in education, employment or training – the majority of them young women. Tackling youth inactivity and gender inequalities is essential if countries are to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 8 on decent work for all by 2030.
Leveraging the ILO’s microdata, an analysis of global labour market and occupational trends highlights strategies to strengthen skills development and boost the competitiveness, agility, and resilience of youth.
Leveraging data from the ILO Harmonized Microdata collection, we take a deep dive to scope out micro and small enterprises around the world, to uncover industries where these job creators are rapidly growing and, with adequate support, can make a substantial contribution to decent work outcomes in the context of a just transition.
May marks both International Day of the Midwife and International Nurses Day – two groups of workers that play essential roles in any healthcare system. However, both professions – which are dominated by women – are characterised by long hours and low pay. So, what can be done to improve working conditions and help nurses and midwives deliver the best quality care to patients?
