Middle East Youth Initiative

Taqeem Fund for Evaluation in Youth Employment

2011-08-24T13:30:00+00:00

In 2009, the Middle East Youth Initiative partnered with Silatech to establish the Taqeem Initiative with the goal of promoting a greater usage of monitoring and evaluation methodologies in the Middle East in order to expand knowledge about what works best in regard to youth programs and policies. Now, Silatech has joined with the Youth Employment Network and the Jacobs Foundation to establish the Taqeem Fund for Evaluation in Youth Employment. The new fund seeks to build on the momentum and increased openness in the region to testing new approaches to the pressing youth employment challenge.

In Egypt, Affordable Housing is the Price of Love

2011-06-21T17:30:00+00:00

Ragui Assaad discusses the linkage between affordable housing and marriage in Egypt, noting a positive change in the age of marriage prior to the recent revolution and assessing the possibility of continuing improvements in the future. This article was originally published by Marketplace and is reposted here. The views expressed in this article are those of the published author.

Creating jobs in Egypt

2011-06-20T17:30:00+00:00

Ragui Assaad commented on the cost of doing business in Egypt. This piece originally aired on Marketplace and can be read in its entirety here.

Development Packages Must Facilitate Meaningful Economic and Social Change

2011-06-01T17:15:00+00:00

Last week the World Bank announced "up to $6 billion in new Bank support over the next two years for Egypt and Tunisia" to assist in political transitions and economic reform. Shortly after the G-8 Summit at Deauville, France announced the formation of a "Deauville Partnership" and pledged to raise "more than USD 20 billion" over the next two years to strengthen institutional development in Tunisia and Egypt especially as it links to inclusive economic growth and job creation among young people. The Middle East Youth Initiative sat down with Edward Sayre, MEYI's Director of Research and a nonresident fellow at Brookings Institution, to discuss the potential impact of the G-8 and World Bank development packages on private sector development, youth participation in the labor market, and critical issues surrounding educational quality, employment, and social inclusion.

Dubai Debates: After the Arab Awakening: Opportunities and Challenges for a New Arab World

2011-05-31T19:30:00+00:00

MEYI's Tarik Yousef served as a speaker in the panelist/participant discussion "After the Arab Awakening: Opportunities and Challenges for a New Arab World."

World Bank Conference: Arab Voices and Views

2011-03-21T20:30:00+00:00

Ehaab Abdou and Samantha Constant participated in the World Bank's "Arab Voices and Views" conference on 21 March 2011, discussing Equity in Access to Jobs and the role of social media as a tool for social accountability.

Participation of Youth and Civil Society Key to Ensuring a More Equitable Future for Egypt and the Arab Region

2011-05-30T03:30:00+00:00

In a new commentary, Ehaab Abdou discusses the strength of Egyptian civil society and the need to engage ordinary citizens and CSOs in a strong, inclusive development process in order to live up to the expectations of the region's youth.

Making Way For A New Middle East

2011-05-19T19:30:00+00:00

In his second major policy address on the Middle East, US President Barack Obama outlined a shift in how the United States engages in the Middle East. He presented a renewed policy vision that focuses on enabling countries to transition to democracy and free markets while at the same time providing economic opportunities for the region’s youth. Yet, many in the Arab region continue to voice frustration with the US position, indicating that the speech falls short of the change in policy needed to remain on 'the right side of history' -- especially in the face of unprecedented regional change.

The possible economic effects of Obama's Middle East speech

2011-05-19T15:00:00+00:00

In anticipation of President Obama's 19 May speech on the Middle East, Tarik Yousef comments on the importance of economic investment and assistance in the region. This interview was originally published by NPR and is reposted here.

Raufa Hassan, precious philanthropist dies at 53

2011-04-30T22:15:00+00:00

Dr. Raufa Hassan al-Sharki, a leading Yemeni scholar and gender expert and a contributor to MEYI's "Innovators and Thinkers" series, died Tuesday, 26 April 2011, in Egypt. Listen to MEYI's interview with Dr. Raufa Hassan al-Sharki on gender, development, and governance in Yemen. This article was originally published by Yemen Today and is reposted here. The views expressed in this article are those of the published author.

Bulging nation puts strain on public services

2011-04-08T19:45:00+00:00

Paul Dyer comments on the explosive population growth in the United Arab Emirates and its impact on economic development. This article was originally published by The National and is reposted here. The views expressed in this article are those of the published author.

Dubai School of Government: Education Policy Forum Tackles Student Preparation for the Labor Force

2011-04-25T19:30:00+00:00

On 25 April 2011 Paul Dyer moderated a panel discussion at the Dubai School of Government on enhancing the education sector to prepare students for competitive employment. Coverage of this event was originally published by Dubai School of Government and is reposted here.

Youthquake in the Middle East

2011-04-06T22:30:00+00:00

Youth protests in the Middle East are not fueled by politics, comments Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, but by the increasing discrepancy between reality and youth expectations about "the basic milestones in life:" jobs, education, and marriage. This article was originally published in The Australian and is reposted here. The views expressed in this article are those of the published author.

Does Palestinian Labor Law Hurt Employment Possibilities For Palestinian Youth?

2011-04-25T19:30:00+00:00

Edward Sayre and Mary Kraetsch investigate the effects of the Palestinian Labor Law of 2000 on unemployment duration for Palestinian youth, and suggest that easing school-to-work transitions for Palestinian youth requires labor reforms designed to strike a creative balance between providing worker protections and ensuring employers have a degree of flexibility in their hiring and firing decisions.

Becoming an Egyptian social entrepreneur

2011-04-19T22:00:00+00:00

Ehaab Abdou discusses social entrepreneurship and provides guidance for how Egyptian youth can succeed in this new and vital arena. This article was originally published by Al-Masry Al-Youm (English Edition) and is reposted here. The views expressed in this article are those of the published author.