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
New Interactive Map: Taking Stock of the Youth Challenge in the Middle East
AmCham-Middle East Youth Initiative Meeting in Cairo Explores Partnerships for Social Innovation
Third Commentary in Social Entrepreneurship Series Looks at Next Steps in U.S. Engagement
Dubai Initiative Conference at Harvard Features MEYI Scholars
Ehaab Abdou Speaks at 3rd World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists in Doha
Experts Convene to Discuss Social Entrepreneurship and Social Investment in the Middle East
MEYI Event - One Year After Gaza: Securing the Future for Young Palestinians
Yemen and Its Youth Population: A Closer Look
Social Entrepreneurship in the Middle East: Toward Sustainable Development for the Next Generation
Youth Exclusion in the West Bank and Gaza Strip: The Impact of Social, Economic and Political Forces
Location: West Bank and Gaza
Type: Working Paper
Youth Exclusion in Yemen: Tackling the Twin Deficits of Human Development and Natural Resources
Location: Yemen
Type: Working Paper
Generation in Waiting: The Unfulfilled Promise of Young People in the Middle East
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
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.
Location: Middle East
Type: Working Paper



