By: Hisham Jabi, Founder & CEO
With 60% of the Arab region’s population under 25, totaling nearly 270 million individuals, the youth face significant challenges despite their demographic advantage. The region grapples with a staggering youth unemployment rate of 26%, the highest globally, alongside a disconnect between education and employment opportunities.
Despite impressive educational achievements, particularly among women, Arab youth encounter difficulties securing meaningful jobs. Women, surpassing men in university enrollment by significant margins (676% in Qatar and 159% in Tunisia), still face limited workforce participation at only 18%, often restricted to traditional roles like teaching or nursing.
The economic landscape in Arab countries heavily favors connections over merit, with state monopolies and family businesses dominating. This environment, characterized by outdated regulations and nepotism, hinders private sector growth and perpetuates corruption, hindering entrepreneurship and merit-based hiring practices.
The youth, especially women, find themselves marginalized in the labor market, with limited policy and cultural support for genuine inclusion. Economic participation for women often stems from economic necessity rather than true empowerment, while the youth population feels economically sidelined, socially suppressed, and politically disregarded.
To foster long-term stability, the World Bank emphasizes the critical role of job creation. However, beyond employment opportunities, youth require a platform to have a voice not only a job. Policymakers must revamp the existing social contract, recognizing youth as assets and championing their inclusion through tangible actions, not mere rhetoric.
Empowerment goes beyond just securing jobs; it involves granting youth a voice in societal decisions. Without this holistic approach, Arab societies risk perpetuating cycles of discontent, instability, and talent drain. The ultimate objective is to cultivate an environment where young individuals can actively lead, contribute, and feel a sense of belonging.
For more information from World Bank Group Meetings, https://live.worldbank.org/en/event/2025/spring-meetings-jobs-the-path-to-prosperity?cid=SHR_WBLSite_EN_EXT
