Introduction to the group work on YOUTH in the Middle East and North Africa and Arab States

1. Introduction to the group work on YOUTH in the Middle East and North Africa and Arab States UNDAF Workshop Amman, Marriot Hotel, 15-16 December, 2009 Focus on Young People

2. Objective of the group work session on regional priorities • Objective: Discuss issues influencing and affecting the lives of adolescents and youth in the Middle East and North Africa and Arab States and how these can better be addressed in the UNDAF at country level • Purpose: How to integrate the MDG and the regional UNDG priorities into the UNDAF at country level and enhance better linkages and coordination among UN agencies on issues related to young people Focus on Young People

3. Age group definitions: • Children: 0-17 years • Adolescents: 10-19 years • Youth: 15-24 years • Young People: 10-24 years • Source: UN General Assembly Focus on Young People

4. Facts on adolescents and youth in MENA • Nearly one in five people living in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is between the ages of 15 and 24 – the age group defined as youth (Youth in the Middle East and North Africa: Demographic Opportunity or Challenge- 2007 Population Reference Bureau, PRB) • The MENA region has about 90 million young people aged 15-24. The number of young people in these countries will peak in the next 25 years. Countries differ—for instance, Egypt is set to experience an extended peak between 2010 and 2030, while Iraq and Yemen will not peak for 20 years or more (Population Reference Bureau 2007/ World Bank, Global Development Report 2007) • - To make the youth bulge a window of opportunity; countries need to adapt economic, social and political institutions to this high number of young people transitioning into adulthood- Focus on Young People

5. Population Pyramid of MENA Compared to the World Focus on Young People

6. MENA Population under 25 Years of Age (2008 estimates) Focus on Young People

7. Focus on Young People

8. Some of the challenges young people face in MENA: • Disparities in the region among countries and within countries: • Poverty - disparity within countries and population groups; • Gender disparity; differences between girls and boys for example access to secondary education, early marriage, harmful traditional practices; • Lack of opportunities to participate in civic activities; • School-to-work transition with concrete and efficient remedies to the mismatch between school-learned skills and the demands of the job market; • High unemployment rates within a region that has a high potential for conflicts and civil strife; • Ongoing conflicts or political instability; • LDC-MIC-HIC – different issues that affect young people Focus on Young People

9. Facts on adolescents and youth in MENA • Education – approximately 7 million children are of primary school age are out of school; 60% are girls – impact on opportunities later in life; early marriage and childbearing for girls (PBR) • Unemployment - rates for MENA youth (age 15-24) are the highest in the world. An estimated 7.9 million young workers were unemployed in 2001 – over 25 percent of the young economically-active population in the MENA region(The Economies of the Middle East: From Boom to Bust, and Back? Georgetown University and Dubai School of Government 2006) • Migration - More than 50% of the Arab youth desire to migrate(League of Arab States 2007) • Health issues – inadequate sexual reproductive health education combined with life skills; and pockets of young people are facing high risk to HIV Focus on Young People

10. What can the UN do? • Support and advocate for Governments to channel more resources or better use of these to target young people, link to existing or support developing national plans and policies, youth policies, enhance education, health and vocational training; as well as participation and recreation • Advocate for behavioral change in relation to gender disparities, disparities and discrimination, for example promote girls education, end child marriages, FMG/C, end violence against children and women Focus on Young People

11. MDGs and young people • Youth as a group is not mentioned specifically in the MDGs, but young people are a central target group and a huge percentage of the worlds and this region’s population they will feel the positive consequences when targets are met and the negative consequences when they are not reached • UNDAF is an opportunity to address the needs and rights of young people at country level and support governments in addressing the issues that affect youth and to give youth an opportunity to participate in their country’s development Focus on Young People

12. MDGs • Reduce poverty and hunger • Educating all children (school enrollment for primary school) • Empowering women • Reduction in child mortality • Reduction in MMR and care for mothers • Combating disease; malaria, HIV and other diseases • Ensure environmental sustainability – access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation • Working together - enhanced coordination Focus on Young People

13. Global-regional-country priorities and coordination • Global: MDGs and other global commitments • Regional: MDGs and prioritized issues: for MENA and the Arab States the three UNDG priorities are: • Climate change • Food crisis • Youth • Country level: integrate these into the UNDAF and common country assessments • What are the youth issues in your country that the UNDAF should address? Focus on Young People

14. Programmatic challenges • lack of data, or inadequate analysis and use of existing data; • health and reproductive health issues are not addressed adequately; • quality education and school to work transition - miss-match between education and employment opportunities, exclusion from education; • unemployment among youth; social implications and young people’s frustrations and lack of hope for a good present and future; • e) good governance and youth policies; support to development of youth policies and their implementation; opportunities for young people to participate and enhance their rights; • f) potential and existing conflicts and violence Focus on Young People.

15. How can they be tackled • Support and advocacy to governments, civil society, young people • Advocate for government commitment (not only line ministries but Ministry of Interior and finance as well) • Legislation and policies • National plans • Attitudes • Public debate • Community awareness • Essential services (health, education, social services) • Monitoring and reporting Focus on Young People

16. Questions to be considered • How can Country teams integrate the Regional priorities into the UNDAFs? How can youth as one of the priorities be integrated? • How can we link national priorities and meeting the MDGs and other global commitments? • What are the opportunities and challenges? Focus on Young People

17. - The Youth of a Nation are the trustees of Posterity - BENJAMIN DISRAELI, (1804-1881) British politician and author. - Ask the young. They know everything. - Joseph Joubert (1754-1824) French moralist. THANK YOU - SHOKRAN Focus on Young People