Goal 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all

Even before the pandemic hit, global economic growth was slowing. From 2010 to 2018 the global growth rate averaged 2% per year but dropped below 1.5% in 2019. The pandemic has caused global shutdowns, massive layoffs, and the worst economic recession since the Great Depression. The Global GDP is expected to shrink by at least 4% in 2020.  Of course, as is the case with most crises, not all people have been affected equally. Here are some statistics from the U.N. regarding the status of Goal 8 around the globe.

  • Globally, as many as 1.6 billion workers in the informal economy are at risk for losing their livelihoods during the pandemic
  • 61% of workers worldwide are under informal employment. In Sub-Saharan Africa, and Central and Southern Asia, more than 85% of workers are under informal employment
  • The Global gender pay gap is 23%, and, at our current rate of progress, it is estimated to take another 68 years to close that gap. Women also do 2.6x more unpaid and domestic work compared to men.
  • In 2019, 22% of the world’s young people were not employed, in school, or in training, a number which has not changed significantly since 2005
  • In 2019 the Global unemployment rate was 5% but was as high as 11% in Northern Africa and Western Asia
  • Tourism, as measured by the number of international arrivals, is expected to decrease by between 850 million and 1.15 billion in 2020
  • For more statistics related to Work and Economic Growth, please see the Goal 8 Progress site here

Goal 7 Targets:

  • 8.1 Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in particular, at least 7 per cent gross domestic product growth per annum in the least developed countries
  • 8.2 Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
  • 8.3 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
  • 8.4 Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead
  • 8.5 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
  • 8.6 By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training
  • 8.7 Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms
  • 8.8 Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
  • 8.9 By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products
  • 8.10 Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for all
  • 8.A Increase Aid for Trade support for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, including through the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance to Least Developed Countries
  • 8.B By 2020, develop and operationalize a global strategy for youth employment and implement the Global Jobs Pact of the International Labour Organization

This Month’s Challenge:

In September 2020, we are sharing more datasets thanks to our friends at the Centre for Humanitarian Data.  Links to a number of datasets from the Humanitarian Data Exchange related to Decent Work and Economic Growth can be found on our data.world site here.  And as always, we are sharing Goal related data from the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goal Database, with regional data on all of the targets listed above.

If you would like participate, you can use data from any source, but the overall goal is to focus your analysis on some of the economic and work related topics mentioned in the Targets section above.  If you come across other interesting datasets, please let us know so we can add them to our data.world project.  The deadline for submission will be September 30, 2020. Make sure to tag us in your submission, add the #TheSDGVizProject hashtag, and add your submission to #TheSDGVizProject tracker.

As we mentioned on our Home page, building a viz is not the only way to participate.  Our main goal is to spread awareness, so if you see a viz with #TheSDGVizProject, please share it.  And keep an eye out for a post at the end of the month with ways that you can contribute to this month’s goal.

Sources:

Centre for Humanitarian Data

Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX)

Global SDG Indicators Database

Goal 8 Progress

Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth