Can low-income countries create jobs faster than their populations grow?
Core argument: An estimated 734m jobs must be created globally by 2030 to address demographic shifts and achieve target unemployment rates, with 91% of this job creation burden concentrated in low/middle-income countries, where faster working-age population growth drives acute labor market pressure.
Between 2010 and 2030, an estimated 734m jobs are needed globally to address demographic shifts and achieve target unemployment rates of ≤4% for adults and ≤8% for youth. Notably, 91% of these jobs must be created in low/middle-income countries, where demographic changes pose a larger challenge. The working-age population is projected to grow faster than the labor force, reversing trends from 1990-2010. Youth population growth is expected at 5%, significantly lower than the adult growth rate of 27%, due to declining fertility rates. This demographic shift underscores the urgency for job creation in these regions, driven by large youth cohorts transitioning into adulthood.

