In this month's Global development podcast we're focusing on jobs and development. We want your questions for our panel
Around the world, unemployment is big news. At last count, more than 200 million people were unemployed worldwide, and another 1.5 billion – or half the global working population – were in vulnerable or insecure jobs. From the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt to the riots in the UK, many have pointed to unemployment to explain growing social unrest. The UN continues to sound the alarm over a "global jobs crisis".
How has this crisis come about? What needs to happen to address the growing global demand for more – and better – jobs? How can developing countries avoid the pitfalls of "jobless growth"? What is life like for the unemployed? And how have prospects changed in Tunisia and Egypt, one year on from the demonstrations that toppled the Ben Ali and Mubarak regimes?
We'll discuss these issues in this month's Global development podcast and want your thoughts and questions to fuel the discussion.
Employment will be high on the development agenda this year. Next week, the International Labour Organisation will release new statistics on the global jobs crisis. In February, Unesco will focus its flagship report on matching education and skills with available jobs. And, later this year, the World Bank will turn to jobs and joblessness for its 2013 World Development Report.
Writing in December on employment over the past year, Indian economist Jayati Ghosh had questions of her own:
So the weakening prospects for the world economy come at a time when labour market conditions are already fragile. Now that everyone is bracing themselves for the next recession, and big round of job cuts and falling real wages, it is important to ask: is this really necessary? Must we be forced to submit to these apparently unassailable economic forces that seem to bear down on us like natural disasters? Or is another route possible?
What do you think? Do you agree with Ghosh that a change of perspective is needed? What aspect of employment would you like to see discussed at June's G20 in Mexico? What specific questions and case studies should our podcast focus on?
We're recording on Wednesday 25 January and would like to put a selection of your questions to our panellists. If you have problems posting, or would prefer to comment anonymously, email us at development@guardian.co.uk and we'll add your thoughts to the debate.