Due to the worsening economic situation, young people seeking their first job and women employed in export-oriented sectors of the economy, such as the textile industry, are experiencing particular difficulties finding work. Also over the past two years, according to the ILO, the number of people with low earnings has increased.
In 2002, about 550 million people worldwide were recorded as earning less than $1 a day. In connection with the rise in unemployment, regions where the unemployment rate has increased particularly sharply are especially noted: Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.