THE International Labour Organisation (ILO) has advised that the G 20 economies should strengthen policies to create jobs and reverse high rates of unemployment.In a new statistical update prepared for the 11-12 November G20 summit at Seoul, the ILO says that unemployment increased in ten of the group’s 20 member countries this year compared to 2009, but declined in eight States. Most emerging economies have seen a decrease in unemployment this year, the study shows.

Although the report reveals employment growth in all countries in 2010, with emerging countries performing better than high-income economies, it also points out that the rise in employment has not been strong enough to reverse the downturn in the labour market during the economic crisis.The analysis by ILO shows the number of people without jobs hovering at an all-time high of 210 million, some 30 million more than on the eve of the crisis in 2007, while real wages have declined by an average of 4 per cent below pre-crisis levels.

According to the study, G20 countries will need to create some 21 million jobs each year over the next decade – approximately half of the 44 million required globally – just to keep pace with the increase in the working age population.