Publication: Investing in Youth in the MENA Region : Lessons Learned and the Way Forward
Date
2010-09
ISSN
Published
2010-09
Author(s)
La Cava, Gloria
Abstract
Young people represent a significant
asset in economic terms alone; they can contribute to
productivity, increased consumption, and income taxes. But
youth are also an important asset for social change and
innovation. Arab youth see themselves as change agents, with
young women as likely to be key to future progress as young
men. Young people constitute well over half of Middle East
and North Africa's (MENA's) population. Over 30
percent of MENA's population, 100 million individuals
were between 15 and 29 years of age in 2007. This can be a
demographic opportunity if countries had a majority of youth
enter their productive peak while the elderly population
still remains small. These windows of opportunity will
remain open in MENA for nearly 10 years. In Iraq, Yemen and
West Bank and Gaza, the window will be open beyond 2050.
Citation
“La Cava, Gloria. 2010. Investing in Youth in the MENA Region : Lessons Learned and the Way Forward. MENA Knowledge and Learning Quick Notes Series; No. 31. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/aebebfaf-8703-509c-9791-fad948cd7e6b License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”