The Mediterranean Needs YOUth
In cooperation with Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Young people have been particularly affected by the global crises the world has experienced in the last years. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and the growing concerns about the impact of climate change are changing the world and the voice of the young people will be essential in building the society of tomorrow. In the MENA region, more than half of the population is constituted by people aged under 30. However, young people in the region face high rates of unemployment and a lack of targeted policies and services. Their participation to public life and representation within public institutions also remains often limited. These factors undermine young people’s trust in governments and their aspiration to be active actors in the public space. Many of these challenges are shared with the young people from the northern shore of the Mediterranean. These challenges have underscored the need to place the needs of young people at the centre of inclusive public governance, as highlighted in the OECD report “Youth at the Centre of Government Action: A Review of the Middle East and North Africa.”
How to strengthen inclusive governance for young people and encourage their participation in the political, social, and economic spheres? How to improve their trust in public institutions and engagement with institutional stakeholders? How to enhance co-operation on youth policies between the two shores of the Mediterranean?
