India, Feb. 2 -- The ILO's Global Employment and Social Trends 2026 report, published on January 14, 2026, highlights some contradictions. It states that, amid top-level, low, and stable global unemployment, job quality is getting worse, and the progress toward decent work has stalled. Unemployment is projected to stay at 4.9 per cent, affecting about 186 million people, yet a significant jobs gap of 408 million still exists. Working poverty is common, with 284 million workers living on less than 3 US dollars a day.

Informal employment is rising again and is expected to reach 2.1 billion workers by 2026. Youth unemployment and inactivity are on the rise, women continue to face serious participation gaps, and the shift toward higher-produ...