In a sample of 53 countries for which data are available, median growth in real average wages had declined from 4.3% in 2007 to 1.4% in 2008. The World Bank warns that 89 million more people may be trapped in poverty in the wake of the crisis, adding to the 1.4 billion people estimated in 2005 to be living below the international poverty line of $1.25 a day.
世界经济刚刚经历了一场严重衰退，金融市场动荡不安，大量财富灰飞烟灭，工业生产与全球贸易出现下降。根据国际劳工组织的测算，由于不断恶化的就业形势，估计全球的失业人口要比2007年增加3900万到6100万人。到今年年底，全球失业人口将创新高，达到2.19亿－2.41亿之间。