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Employment

The Challenge

Despite robust economic growth, youth unemployment in the Middle East is 25% -- the highest in any region. The most affected are first-time job seekers, mostly between 15 and 24 years of age, who make up more than 50 percent of the unemployed in the region.  Young people with secondary and post-secondary education face severe difficulties in securing employment mainly due to skills mismatches and long queuing for public sector jobs. In fact, the average duration of unemployment spells for youth with university or vocational education can still be measured in years.

The Opportunity

The Middle East is undergoing a period of high economic growth. Real GDP per capita has increased by about 4.0 percent per year from 2004 to 2006. This figure is up from 2.6 percent during the first four years of the decade and from 1.7 percent during the 1990s. Unemployment – albeit still high – has been steadily declining as job creation has increased. Further, private sector development, fueled by foreign and domestic investments, is becoming a major engine of job growth. Spreading the benefits of such growth will mean ensuring job creation rates accelerate to meet the demands of young workers. Moreover, the quality of these jobs is crucial if young people are to fulfill their potential and life goals.

A Fact

Egyptian women -- regardless of rising education levels -- are still four times as likely to be unemployed as men in Egypt.

 


   Source: Waleed Nassar, Madeena360Personal Journey

Mohammed introduces himself as a school teacher, yet always speaks of his long hours at the garment factory.  Currently taking what is known as "igeza bidoun moratab", or “vacation without salary,” Muhammad’s situation is common among teachers and other low-level government employees in Egypt. Read more 

 

 

  Source: Waleed Nassar, Madeena360Country Spotlight

 

In 2002, Syria’s total unemployment rate was approximately 12%, a common figure in the region. What makes the Syrian situation unique is youth unemployment –  alarmingly, youth represent 77% of total unemployment, the highest ratio in the region. Read more 

  

 


 

 



The Arab World Competitiveness Report

12 Apr 2007
United Arab Emirates is the most competitive economy in the Arab world among the countries at the third and most advanced stage of development according to The Arab World Competitiveness Report 2007, released today by the World Economic Forum.
Youth Exclusion in Morocco: Context, Consequences, and Policies
12 Dec 2007, Brahim Boudarbat, Aziz Ajbilou
Morocco needs to harness the human capital of young workers if it is to increase incomes per capita, bolster savings and improve social welfare.
Youth Exclusion in Syria: Social Economic, and Institutional Dimensions
12 Dec 2007, Nader Kabbani and Noura Kamel
An interplay of economic, social and institutional factors has meant that young people in Syria are six times more likely than adults to be unemployed.