the New Middle East Youth Initiative Web Site and Working Papers
School of Government (http://www.dse.ae ) and the Wolfensohn Center for
Development (http://www.brookings.edu/wolfensohn.aspx ) at Brookings
announced the launch of the new Middle East Youth Initiative (MEYI), Web
site: http://www.shababinclusion.org, and the results of six new working
papers on topics ranging from analysis of the state of youth in specific
Middle Eastern countries to the economics of marriage.
The Middle East region is currently experiencing an unprecedented
"youth bulge." Over 30 percent of its population - or 100 million
individuals - is between the ages of 15 and 29. This is the highest
proportion of youth to adults in the region's history.
In a region beset by economic and political challenges, the presence of
a large number of young men and women is often linked to social unrest and
instability. Youth unemployment rates are higher than any other region - 25
percent in the Middle East, compared with a worldwide average of 14 percent
- and the majority of young people face significant challenges
transitioning from education to employment to family formation.
However, this "youth bulge" is also a demographic gift, offering a
unique window of opportunity for the region to capitalize on its large and
youthful workforce before it starts to age. Middle Eastern countries can
follow in the footsteps of the many Asian economies that took advantage of
their fast-growing working populations and turned their "youth bulges" into
a demographic gift. Timing is critical, though, as the Middle East's window
of demographic opportunity (a large working-age population with a small
dependent population) is expected to close by 2045.
The Middle East Youth Initiative was launched jointly by the Dubai
School of Government and the Wolfensohn Center for Development at Brookings
in July 2006. The Initiative seeks to advance understanding of economic and
social issues affecting youth in the Middle East, and to promote regional
efforts aimed at greater youth inclusion through targeted policy
recommendations. Youth inclusion is the availability of opportunities for
youth to become fully integrated into society through quality education,
decent employment, affordable housing and the power to shape their
communities.
James Wolfensohn, founder of the Wolfensohn Center for Development at
Brookings and former World Bank president said, "No task is more urgent
than providing hope to the 100 million young people between the ages of 15
and 29 in the Middle East. If we provide them with the opportunity to lead
constructive lives, they will build an exciting area of prosperity,
stability and hope."
Nabil Alyousuf, Executive President of the Dubai School of Government,
said, "Our engagement with the Wolfensohn Center for Development at
Brookings is an extension of our commitment to producing incisive, relevant
policy research that will improve the lives of people throughout the Arab
world."
Tarik Yousef, Dean of the Dubai School of Government and Nonresident
Senior Fellow at Brookings, stressed the importance of "education that
meets the demands of the modern labor market, quality jobs to meet the
expectations of youth, and policies that strengthen their abilities to
become independent economic actors." He added that this will require
"long-term, committed partnerships between government, civil society and
the private sector (in the region)."
The Middle East Youth Initiative's new Web site offers original
research and other information in Arabic and English, as well as
interactive blogs, facts about youth exclusion, in-depth country spotlights
from the region and personal stories of Middle East youth. Future MEYI
events, such as the January 7 Brookings public briefing "From Oil Boom to
Youth Boon: Tapping the Middle East Demographic Gift", are also highlighted
on the site.
About the Dubai School of Government
The Dubai School of Government is a research and teaching institution
focusing on public policy in the Arab world. Established in 2004 under the
patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and
Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, the School
aims to promote good governance through enhancing the region's capacity for
effective public policy.
Toward this goal, the Dubai School of Government collaborates with
international institutions such as Harvard University's John F. Kennedy
School of Government and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in its
research and training programs. In addition, the School organizes policy
forums and international conferences to facilitate the exchange of ideas
and promote critical debate on public policy in the Arab world.
The School is committed to the creation of knowledge, the dissemination
of best practice and the training of policy makers in the Arab world. To
achieve this mission, the School is developing strong capabilities to
support research and teaching programs including
- applied research in public policy and management;
- master's degrees in public policy and public administration;
- executive education for senior officials and executives; and,
- knowledge forums for scholars and policy makers
For More information visit: http://dsg.ae
About the Wolfensohn Center for Development The Wolfensohn Center for Development at the Brookings Institution was
founded in July 2006 by James D. Wolfensohn, former president of the World
Bank and member of the Brookings Board of Trustees.
The Wolfensohn Center for Development analyzes how resources, knowledge
and implementation capabilities can be combined toward broad-based economic
and social change in a four-tier world.
The following principles guide the center's work:
- A focus on impact, scaling-up and sustainability of development
interventions
- Bridging the gap between development theory and practice to bring
about action
- Giving voice to developing countries, with high level policy
engagement and broad networking
- A rigorous, independent research approach that draws from multiple
disciplines
