Civic Participation
The Challenge
Despite wide-spread misconceptions, the majority of youth in the Middle East, if given the chance, are more interested in contributing to their society and future than being involved in extreme behavior. Young men and women in the region are expecting to exert greater influence in shaping their societies. Yet there are too few formal avenues and institutions for youth to expand their voice so that their activism may positively impact their societies. The challenge remains with Middle East countries to provide an enabling environment for young people to give voice and actively participate in economic, political and social affairs.
The Opportunity
Young people are at the heart of a process of political change and debate that now defines the region. They are emerging as agents of change in some countries which are moving towards more participatory forms of government. Through the expansion of civil society and the rise of local social and environmental movements, young men and women can be mobilized to exert greater influence in shaping their societies positively.
Experts Convene in Damascus to Review Policy Priorities for Middle East Youth
16 Jun 2010
Experts from the Middle East Youth Initiative network and partners met on June 13 and 14 to identify new priorities in youth research and policy in the Middle East. The meeting was hosted by the Wolfensohn Center for Development at Brookings, the Dubai School of Government, and the Development Research Centre at the Syria Trust for Development.
New Interactive Map: Taking Stock of the Youth Challenge in the Middle East
15 Jun 2010
The Middle East Youth Initiative has released a new online interactive map with key statistics on youth-related issues for all 18 Middle East countries, based on analysis by Samantha Constant and Mary Kraetsch. The map includes key statistics related to each country’s economy, demographics, education and youth employment status.
AmCham-Middle East Youth Initiative Meeting in Cairo Explores Partnerships for Social Innovation
11 Jun 2010
Ehaab Abdou and Samantha Constant participated in a roundtable entitled “Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Egypt: Building Stronger Public-Private Partnerships for the Next Generation” hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt, in cooperation with the Middle East Youth Initiative, on June 9 in Cairo.
Dubai Initiative Conference at Harvard Features MEYI Scholars
6 May 2010
Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, Edward Sayre, Christine Binzel and Daniel Egel participated in a youth-focused panel at the 2010 Dubai Initiative Conference at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.
Presidential Summit Wrap-Up: Middle East Youth Initiative Research Featured at Summit and Brookings Launch Event
28 Apr 2010
The Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship was held in Washington, D.C. on April 26 and 27. In her closing remarks, Secretary Clinton highlighted the new Middle East Youth Initiative-Silatech report: "Social Entrepreneurship in the Middle East: Toward Sustainable Development for the Next Generation."
Ehaab Abdou Speaks at Harvard on His Experience as a Social Entrepreneur
2 Dec 2009
On November 30, MEYI advisor Ehaab Abdou spoke to an audience at Harvard University's Dubai Initiative, a joint venture between the Dubai School of Government and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, about his experience as a leading social innovator in the Middle East as well as his new research with the Middle East Youth Initiative.
Social Entrepreneurship Roundtables in the Middle East
18 Nov 2009
Through consultations rch on the ground, MEYI is working to better understand the state of social entrepreneurship and social investment in the Middle East. Under the leadership of Ehaab Abdou, MEYI has led a series of diverse focus groups in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan to survey the existing landscape for social entrepreneurs and investors and identify the key opportunities and challenges they face.
Social Entrepreneurship in the Middle East: Toward Sustainable Development for the Next Generation
22 Apr 2010, Ehaab Abdou, Amina Fahmy, Diana Greenwald and Jane Nelson
Ehaab Abdou, Amina Fahmy, Diana Greenwald and Jane Nelson propose recommendations to facilitate the development of institutional alliances that need to take place in order to capitalize on social entrepreneurship, boost economic opportunities for young people in the Middle East, and prepare the region become more fully integrated into a rapidly changing global economy.
Youth Exclusion in the West Bank and Gaza Strip: The Impact of Social, Economic and Political Forces
25 Jan 2010, Edward Sayre and Samia Al-Botmeh
Edward Sayre and Samia Al-Botmeh examine three dimensions of the transition to adulthood by Palestinian youth: acquiring skills through schooling and training, finding employment, and forming a family.
Topic:
Civic Participation, Education, Employment, Housing and Credit, Marriage
Location: West Bank and Gaza
Type: Working Paper
Location: West Bank and Gaza
Type: Working Paper
Youth Exclusion in Yemen: Tackling the Twin Deficits of Human Development and Natural Resources
5 Jan 2010, Ragui Assaad, Ghada Barsoum, Emily Cupito and Daniel Egel
Ragui Assaad, Ghada Barsoum, Emily Cupito and Daniel Egel present a comprehensive overview of youth exclusion in Yemen.
Topic:
Civic Participation, Education, Employment, Housing and Credit, Marriage
Location: Yemen
Type: Working Paper
Location: Yemen
Type: Working Paper
Generation in Waiting: The Unfulfilled Promise of Young People in the Middle East
8 Oct 2009, Edited by Navtej Dhillon and Tarik Yousef
Generation in Waiting: The Unfulfilled Promise of Young People in the Middle East (Brookings Press, 2009), edited by Navtej Dhillon and Tarik Yousef, represents three years of research on youth exclusion in the Middle East.
Topic:
Civic Participation, Education, Employment, Housing and Credit, Marriage
Location: Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Middle East, Morocco, Syria, West Bank and Gaza, Yemen
Type: Book
Location: Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Middle East, Morocco, Syria, West Bank and Gaza, Yemen
Type: Book
Stalled Youth Transitions in the Middle East: A Framework for Policy Reform
8 Oct 2008, Djavad Salehi-Isfahani and Navtej Dhillon
Djavad Salehi-Isfahani and Navtej Dhillon present a framework for policymakers to improve youth outcomes by addressing institutional distortions across sectors: from the education system to the employment, housing, and credit markets.
Topic:
Education, Employment, Housing and Credit, Marriage
Location: Middle East
Type: Working Paper
Location: Middle East
Type: Working Paper
Social Exclusion: Comparative Analysis of Europe and Middle East Youth
12 Dec 2007, Hilary Silver
It is the intersection of youth with other dimensions of disadvantage that makes social exclusion a useful framework for analysis.
9th Global Conference on International Youth Service
October 25 - 28, 2010
Alexandria, Egypt
The International Association for National Youth Service (IANYS) is pleased to announce the 9th Global Conference on National Youth Service, organized in partnership with the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy & Civic Engagement at the American University in Cairo (AUC) and Innovations in Civic Participation (ICP), the IANYS permanent Secretariat.
