Tunisia among countries with sharp rise in unemployment between 2018 and 2023 (UN)

The United Nations (UN) has just published the ‘World Social Report 2024’, which provides analysis and recommendations on contemporary social challenges such as inequality, poverty and sustainable development.

According to the report, converging crises are exacerbating income inequalities in all countries. Low- and middle-income countries, which already have higher levels of inequality, are particularly affected.

22 countries around the world saw an increase of at least one percentage point in their overall unemployment rate, between 2018 and 2023, including Tunisia.

With an increase of 2.3 percentage points, Tunisia, classified as a lower-middle-income country, ranks tenth among these 22 countries, sharing this rate with Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

The top five countries are Afghanistan, Rwanda and South Africa, each with an increase in unemployment of 4.2 percentage points.

Botswana follows closely with an increase of 4 percentage points, while Sudan records an increase of 3.5 percentage points.

The World Social Report explains this situation by several factors, including the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, and disasters related to climate change.

These shocks have caused major economic slowdowns, disrupting supply chains and productive activity. Added to this are rising global inflation and interest rates.

On another front, the report highlights the increase in the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity among the total population of countries over the average three-year period (2020-2022), compared to 2017-2019.

Some countries, such as Angola, Benin, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya and South Africa, have food insecurity rates above 60%.

Others, such as Afghanistan, Argentina, Côte d’Ivoire and El Salvador, have rates between 30% and 60%.

Tunisia joins Ecuador, Mauritius, Mexico, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Palestine in having food insecurity rates between 20% and 30%.

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