Voiceless visions: youth civic and political participation in the MENA region-a decade in review

In the aftermath of political and societal transformations across many countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, youth continue to encounter significant barriers to becoming catalysts for social and economic development. They continue to seek equitable access to political participation, economic opportunity, and public life. Thus far, young individuals in theMENA region have had limited opportunities to impact policy decisions, and many lack adequate access to essential services such as quality employment, education, and healthcare. Youth in the region have the potential to be change-makers, contributing actively to addressing pressing issues and leveraging the demographic dividend. However, to unlock this potential, urgent policy interventions are required. All nations bear the responsibility to ensure the well-being, protection, education, employment transition, and civic engage -ment of their youth, especially the most vulnerable. Yet, numerous challenges persist in these areas, further complicated by the cost of conflict and violence, which exposes young people to risks such as death, injury, educational deprivation, and loss of investment in human capital. These factors contribute to the region’s lowest global level of youth civic engagement, a significant driver of instability. Moreover, the region continues to marginalize specific youth groups, including young women, the impoverished, refugees, and individuals with disabilities. Overlapping disadvantages in health, protection, and education severely hinder young people from realizing their full potential and becoming productive societal contributors. Youth unemployment rates in the region are the highest globally. Educational systems are failing to adequately prepare youth for the workplace, and job markets are not generating the urgently needed employment opportunities. Youth transitions to employment are lengthy and challenging, exacerbated by rapidly evolving work environments due to technological advancements. Immediate, targeted actions are increasingly necessary to mitigate the impacts of frequent joblessness and transitions on individuals.