Globally three out of four young workers are employed in the informal economy. This is not decent work.

Did you also know that on average 40 per cent of children across all OECD and EU countries do not have basic reading and mathematics skills by age 15. Children in Bulgaria, Romania and Chile are the least proficient in these skills. Estonia, Ireland and Finland the most proficient.

In most countries, at least 1 in 5 children lack confidence in their social skills to make new friends. (UNICEF report card from 2020) These issues pursue into adulthood. Currently Iceland is at the top of the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index, while countries in Africa and Asia, including some of our partner countries, are nearer the bottom of the list.

We have a long way to go in ensuring gender equality in the workplace and we must always strive for better.

What does all this mean? The inequitable access to education and skills training has to be tackled because everybody has the right to live a dignified life through proficient literacy skills and decent work opportunities.

What can you do about it? Buy a SERVE Solidarity Gift of Education to support women and young people empower themselves so that they can live a dignified life.