ILO report indicates decline in unemployment rate in S.Asia

In signs of revival of the economy, a study by the International labour Organisation has projected that unemployment rate in the South Asian region would decline to 4.9 per cent this year from 5.1 per cent recorded last year.

The study projected GDP growth rate to edge higher to six per cent in the region.

Lauding social protection schemes like NREGA in India "which provided significant buffer during the economic crisis", the study released yesterday in Geneva, however, underlined that level of consumption, poverty and vulnerable forms of employment still remain widespread.

Highlighting gender disparity in the labour market, it said only 35 per cent of the working age women were economically active in the region as compared to 81 per cent for men.

The report said the gap was the third highest among all regions, surpassed only by Middle East and North African regions.

It said women face higher unemployment rate in the region with a rate of 5.9 per cent in 2009 as compared with the male rate of 4.8 per cent. This is despite the fact that women participate to a large extent in the labour market than men.