According to a recent ILO study, last year the number of jobless youth between the ages of 15 and 24 reached an all time global high of 88 million, or 47 percent of the total unemployment worldwide. Richer countries are experiencing a drop partly due to declining birth rates, while in poorer countries, the ability of economies to provide young people with jobs is not keeping pace with the growth in the number of young people.
See "Number of jobless young hits a record 88 million", Associated Press, International Herald Tribune, August 11, 2004