Worldwide unemployment now totals 160 million, 20 million more than before the 1997 Asian financial crisis, according to a report by the International Labor Organization released Wednesday.
Overall employment trends for the 21st century look set to improve over those of the last decade, but conditions remain "deeply flawed" for workers in many parts of the world, said Rashid Amjad, chief author of the ILO's annual World Employment Report.
The report focuses on the impact of the "digital divide" on employment.
"Unless this (digital divide) is addressed urgently, the employment aspirations and productivity potential of millions of workers in scores of developing countries cannot be realized," it warns.