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About
Our mission is to promote the economic and social inclusion of young people in the Middle East.
Who We Are
The Middle East Youth Initiative (MEYI) was launched by the Wolfensohn Center for Development at the Brookings Institution and the Dubai School of Government in July 2006. Our objective is to accelerate the international community's ability to better understand and respond to the changing needs of young people in the Middle East. By creating an international alliance of academics, policymakers, youth leaders and leading thinkers from the private sector and civil society, we aim to develop and promote a progressive agenda of youth inclusion.
What We Do
The initiative blends activities in an attempt to bridge the divide between thinkers and practitioners and utilizes robust research as a foundation for effective policy and programs. The initiative has three complementary pillars:
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Research and Policy
We advance understanding of economic and social issues to promote solutions for the inclusion of young people through cutting edge research. The main target group is youth 15-29 years old. The research framework focuses on youth making two major transitions to adulthood: from education to employment and from employment to household formation (marriage and home-ownership). -
Advocacy and Networking
The initiative aspires to be a hub for knowledge and ideas, open to all stakeholders who can make change happen. Strong partnerships with policymakers, government officials, representatives from the private sector and civil society organizations, donors and the media will pioneer forms of dialogue that bridge the divide between ideas and action. By bringing in the voice and the new perspectives of young people, we will revitalize debate on development in the Middle East. -
Practical Action
Outcomes matter. With a focus on areas with the greatest potential for innovation and impact, the initiative will mobilize partners for practical action that can improve young people's lives. MEYI's latest initiative, Taqeem, will promote impact evaluation of programs in the areas of employment and entrepreneurship across the Middle East.
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.
Third Commentary in Social Entrepreneurship Series Looks at Next Steps in U.S. Engagement
10 May 2010
To mark the release of a joint report by the Middle East Youth Initiative and Silatech, as part of the Taqeem program, we have launched a three-part commentary series on the state of social entrepreneurship and social investment in the Middle East.
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.
Ehaab Abdou Speaks at 3rd World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists in Doha
22 Mar 2010
Ehaab Abdou, advisor to the Middle East Youth Initiative and leader of the Initiative's current social entrepreneurship research project, addressed the 3rd World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists (WCMP) in Doha on March 22.
Experts Convene to Discuss Social Entrepreneurship and Social Investment in the Middle East
25 Feb 2010
On February 23, the Middle East Youth Initiative and the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government convened a group of over 40 policy makers, international donors, private sector and civil society leaders to discuss the state of social entrepreneurship and corporate social engagement in the Middle East.
MEYI Event - One Year After Gaza: Securing the Future for Young Palestinians
22 Jan 2010
On January 15, the Middle East Youth Initiative and the New America Foundation hosted a discussion to analyze the prospects for young people growing up in the Palestinian territories, where nearly three-quarters of the population is under the age of 29.
Yemen and Its Youth Population: A Closer Look
5 Jan 2010
International attention has turned to Yemen and its fight against terrorism. Middle East Youth Initiative research points to the country's more deep-rooted challenges: including natural resource scarcities, persistently high fertility rates, and poor economic prospects for youth aged 15 to 29, who comprise 30 percent of the population.
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
Inclusion: Meeting the 100 Million Youth Challenge
12 Dec 2007, Navtej Dhillon and Tarik Yousef
The key to inclusion is investment in better understanding of youth transitions in the region, and bridging the gap between thinkers and development practitioners.
Bringing Gaza Back From the Brink
22 Jan 2010
