Against the backdrop of a rather disappointing economic performance in 2016 and the below‐trend outlook for 2017, Chapter 1 assesses the ability of the economy to (i) generate a sufficient number of jobs, (ii) improve the quality of employment for those with a job, and (iii) ensure that the gains of growth are shared in an inclusive manner. The chapter also discusses the policy efforts needed to overcome structural impediments to growth, including inequality.

This chapter will assess both across and within regions (i) recent economic and labour market developments; and (ii) short‐term employment and social prospects.

The report covers the extent and consequences of the labour market disruption caused by overlapping economic and geopolitical crises and analyzes global patterns, regional differences and outcomes across groups of workers. The report pays particular attention to the impact of the different crises on productivity, job quality and job opportunities and how these trends risk undermining social justice around the world.

This chapter aims to provide a deeper understanding of their underlying drivers of gender gaps. Accordingly, Chapter 2 discusses the descriptive findings from the Gallup–ILO 2017 study and develops a framework for analysing the drivers and mechanisms underlying gender gaps in the labour market. This framework is then applied in a manner to quantify the drivers of lower female labour force participation and is followed by an assessment of gender gaps in the workplace.

With gender gaps continuing to be one of the most pressing labour market and social challenges facing the global community, Chapter 1 quantifies the magnitudes of gender gaps in the world of work and how they compare across regions through a detailed account of gaps in labour force participation gaps, unemployment rates for women and men, status in employment, wages and income, and sectoral and occupational opportunities. Finally, the chapter attempts to quantify the potential economic impact from closing gender gaps in the labour market.