In 2024, the youth unemployment rate in the Kingdom of Eswatini remained nearly unchanged at around 58.18 percent. The youth unemployment rate refers to the share of the workforce aged 15 to 24 that is currently not working but is actively searching for work. It does not include the economically inactive population, such as the long-term unemployed or full-time students.Find more key insights for the youth unemployment rate in countries like Lesotho and Botswana.

Several of the countries with the highest youth unemployment rates worldwide in 2023 are located in Africa. Djibouti had the highest rate at 76 percent, followed by Eswatini and Libya.

Djibouti registered the highest youth unemployment rate in Africa in 2022. That year, almost 80 percent of the labor force aged 15 to 24 years was unemployed in the country. Unemployment among youth was also particularly high in South Africa, Libya, and Eswatini, which respectively registered an unemployment rate of around 52, 51.5, and 49.8 percent. In contrast, the lowest youth unemployment levels on the continent were in Niger and Burundi.

Swaziland SZ: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Total: % of Youth Population data was reported at 35.462 % in 2016. Swaziland SZ: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Total: % of Youth Population data is updated yearly, averaging 35.462 % from Dec 2016 (Median) to 2016, with 1 observations. Swaziland SZ: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Total: % of Youth Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Eswatini – Table SZ.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Share of youth not in education, employment or training (NEET) is the proportion of young people who are not in education, employment, or training to the population of the corresponding age group: youth (ages 15 to 24); persons ages 15 to 29; or both age groups.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average;

Swaziland SZ: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Female: % of Female Youth Population data was reported at 41.195 % in 2016. Swaziland SZ: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Female: % of Female Youth Population data is updated yearly, averaging 41.195 % from Dec 2016 (Median) to 2016, with 1 observations. Swaziland SZ: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Female: % of Female Youth Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Swaziland – Table SZ.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Share of youth not in education, employment or training (NEET) is the proportion of young people who are not in education, employment, or training to the population of the corresponding age group: youth (ages 15 to 24); persons ages 15 to 29; or both age groups.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average;

South Africa is expected to register the highest unemployment rate in Africa in 2024, with around ** percent of the country's labor force being unemployed. Djibouti and Eswatini followed, with unemployment reaching roughly ** percent and ** percent, respectively. On the other hand, the lowest unemployment rates in Africa were in Niger and Burundi. The continent’s average stood at roughly ***** percent in the same year. Large shares of youth among the unemployed Due to several educational, socio-demographic, and economic factors, the young population is more likely to face unemployment in most regions of the world. In 2024, the youth unemployment rate in Africa was projected at around ** percent. The situation was particularly critical in certain countries. In 2022, Djibouti recorded a youth unemployment rate of almost ** percent, the highest rate on the continent. South Africa followed, with around ** percent of the young labor force being unemployed. Wide disparities in female unemployment Women are another demographic group often facing high unemployment. In Africa, the female unemployment rate stood at roughly ***** percent in 2023, compared to *** percent among men. The average female unemployment on the continent was not particularly high. However, there were significant disparities among African countries. Djibouti and South Africa topped the ranking once again in 2022, with female unemployment rates of around ** percent and ** percent, respectively. In contrast, Niger, Burundi, and Chad were far below Africa’s average, as only roughly *** percent or lower of the women in the labor force were unemployed.

Swaziland SZ: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Male: % of Male Youth Population data was reported at 29.846 % in 2016. Swaziland SZ: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Male: % of Male Youth Population data is updated yearly, averaging 29.846 % from Dec 2016 (Median) to 2016, with 1 observations. Swaziland SZ: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Male: % of Male Youth Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Swaziland – Table SZ.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Share of youth not in education, employment or training (NEET) is the proportion of young people who are not in education, employment, or training to the population of the corresponding age group: youth (ages 15 to 24); persons ages 15 to 29; or both age groups.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average;

Goal 8Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for allTarget 8.1: Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in particular, at least 7 per cent gross domestic product growth per annum in the least developed countriesIndicator 8.1.1: Annual growth rate of real GDP per capitaNY_GDP_PCAP: Annual growth rate of real GDP per capita (%)Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectorsIndicator 8.2.1: Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed personSL_EMP_PCAP: Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person (%)Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial servicesIndicator 8.3.1: Proportion of informal employment in total employment, by sector and sexSL_ISV_IFEM: Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex (ILO harmonized estimates) (%)Target 8.4: Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, with developed countries taking the leadIndicator 8.4.1: Material footprint, material footprint per capita, and material footprint per GDPEN_MAT_FTPRPG: Material footprint per unit of GDP, by type of raw material (kilograms per constant 2010 United States dollar)EN_MAT_FTPRPC: Material footprint per capita, by type of raw material (tonnes)EN_MAT_FTPRTN: Material footprint, by type of raw material (tonnes)Indicator 8.4.2: Domestic material consumption, domestic material consumption per capita, and domestic material consumption per GDPEN_MAT_DOMCMPT: Domestic material consumption, by type of raw material (tonnes)EN_MAT_DOMCMPG: Domestic material consumption per unit of GDP, by type of raw material (kilograms per constant 2010 United States dollars)EN_MAT_DOMCMPC: Domestic material consumption per capita, by type of raw material (tonnes)Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal valueIndicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees, by sex, age, occupation and persons with disabilitiesSL_EMP_EARN: Average hourly earnings of employees by sex and occupation (local currency)Indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate, by sex, age and persons with disabilitiesSL_TLF_UEM: Unemployment rate, by sex and age (%)SL_TLF_UEMDIS: Unemployment rate, by sex and disability (%)Target 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or trainingIndicator 8.6.1: Proportion of youth (aged 15–24 years) not in education, employment or trainingSL_TLF_NEET: Proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex and age (%)Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its formsIndicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5–17 years engaged in child labour, by sex and ageSL_TLF_CHLDEC: Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%)SL_TLF_CHLDEA: Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%)Target 8.8: Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employmentIndicator 8.8.1: Fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries per 100,000 workers, by sex and migrant statusSL_EMP_FTLINJUR: Fatal occupational injuries among employees, by sex and migrant status (per 100,000 employees)SL_EMP_INJUR: Non-fatal occupational injuries among employees, by sex and migrant status (per 100,000 employees)Indicator 8.8.2: Level of national compliance with labour rights (freedom of association and collective bargaining) based on International Labour Organization (ILO) textual sources and national legislation, by sex and migrant statusSL_LBR_NTLCPL: Level of national compliance with labour rights (freedom of association and collective bargaining) based on International Labour Organization (ILO) textual sources and national legislationTarget 8.9: By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and productsIndicator 8.9.1: Tourism direct GDP as a proportion of total GDP and in growth rateST_GDP_ZS: Tourism direct GDP as a proportion of total GDP (%)Target 8.10: Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for allIndicator 8.10.1: (a) Number of commercial bank branches per 100,000 adults and (b) number of automated teller machines (ATMs) per 100,000 adultsFB_ATM_TOTL: Number of automated teller machines (ATMs) per 100,000 adultsFB_CBK_BRCH: Number of commercial bank branches per 100,000 adultsIndicator 8.10.2: Proportion of adults (15 years and older) with an account at a bank or other financial institution or with a mobile-money-service providerFB_BNK_ACCSS: Proportion of adults (15 years and older) with an account at a financial institution or mobile-money-service provider, by sex (% of adults aged 15 years and older)Target 8.a: Increase Aid for Trade support for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, including through the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-related Technical Assistance to Least Developed CountriesIndicator 8.a.1: Aid for Trade commitments and disbursementsDC_TOF_TRDCMDL: Total official flows (commitments) for Aid for Trade, by donor countries (millions of constant 2018 United States dollars)DC_TOF_TRDDBMDL: Total official flows (disbursement) for Aid for Trade, by donor countries (millions of constant 2018 United States dollars)DC_TOF_TRDDBML: Total official flows (disbursement) for Aid for Trade, by recipient countries (millions of constant 2018 United States dollars)DC_TOF_TRDCML: Total official flows (commitments) for Aid for Trade, by recipient countries (millions of constant 2018 United States dollars)Target 8.b: By 2020, develop and operationalize a global strategy for youth employment and implement the Global Jobs Pact of the International Labour OrganizationIndicator 8.b.1: Existence of a developed and operationalized national strategy for youth employment, as a distinct strategy or as part of a national employment strategySL_CPA_YEMP: Existence of a developed and operationalized national strategy for youth employment, as a distinct strategy or as part of a national employment strategy

In 2023, South Africa had the highest unemployment rate in the world, at 32.1 percent. Of the 10 countries with the highest unemployment rates, six were in Sub-Saharan Africa. What exactly is unemployment? The unemployment rate is the number of people in the workforce currently looking for jobs but not working. This number does not include students and retirees, as they are not looking for work, nor does it include people who have given up on finding a job (known as discouraged workers). Comparing international unemployment rates can be problematic, however, as different countries use different methodologies when classifying unemployment. For example, Niger records the third lowest unemployment rate in the world, despite often being listed as the least developed country worldwide - this is because the majority of the population engage in subsistence farming, with very little opportunity for paid employment. Causes of unemployment in less developed countries A major driver in unemployment in these countries is conflict. In particular, internally displaced persons (IDPs) want to work, but moving to another part of the country disrupts their business network and moves them into a local economy with different labor demand. Countries with low levels of economic development, as roughly indicated by a low GDP per capita, often have fewer labor market opportunities, leading to high unemployment rates.

。斯威士兰 SZ: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Male: % of Male Youth Population数据按每年更新，2016至2016期间平均值为29.846 %，共1份观测结果。CEIC提供的斯威士兰 SZ: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Male: % of Male Youth Population数据处于定期更新的状态，数据来源于World Bank，数据归类于Global Database的斯威士兰 – Table SZ.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment。

。SZ：未受教育、无业或未受培训青少年比例：共计：占青年人口百分比数据按年更新，12-01-2016至12-01-2016期间平均值为35.462%，共1份观测结果。CEIC提供的SZ：未受教育、无业或未受培训青少年比例：共计：占青年人口百分比数据处于定期更新的状态，数据来源于World Bank，数据归类于全球数据库的斯威士兰 – 表 SZ.世行.WDI：就业和失业。

SZ：失业：模拟国际劳工组织（ILO）估算：年轻女性：占15-24岁女性劳动力百分比在12-01-2017达53.803%，相较于12-01-2016的53.162%有所增长。SZ：失业：模拟国际劳工组织（ILO）估算：年轻女性：占15-24岁女性劳动力百分比数据按年更新，12-01-1991至12-01-2017期间平均值为40.571%，共27份观测结果。该数据的历史最高值出现于12-01-2017，达53.803%，而历史最低值则出现于12-01-1993，为38.825%。CEIC提供的SZ：失业：模拟国际劳工组织（ILO）估算：年轻女性：占15-24岁女性劳动力百分比数据处于定期更新的状态，数据来源于World Bank，数据归类于Global Database的斯威士兰 – 表 SZ.世界银行：就业和失业。