Publication: The AMAL Program : "Hope" for Unemployed Youth in the MENA Region
Date
2011-08
ISSN
Published
2011-08
Author(s)
Abstract
To respond to high unemployment rates
among youth (often educated entrants to the labor market),
many countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
region have designed and implemented programs that aim to
enhance youth employability. However, a recent study
revealed that despite significant investments, many youth
programs in MENA lack the necessary features that make these
types of programs successful. This note describes a new
approach to youth employment programs in MENA through the
recently implemented AMAL (Arabic for 'Hope')
program in Tunisia. AMAL is the first large-scale publicly
financed comprehensive youth program in the region. If
well-implemented and carefully evaluated, AMAL could become
a building block for a comprehensive reform of youth
employment programs in the region. This note starts with an
overview of international best practices for the
design/implementation of youth programs. The note provides a
brief description of youth programs in Tunisia and mainly of
the AMAL program, highlighting some of its main challenges
and opportunities. The World Bank supported the Interim
Government of Tunisia in the design and implementation of
the AMAL program through the Governance and Opportunities
Development Policy Loan (DPL), a multi-sector program of
reforms that supports the post-revolution transition period.
Citation
“Angel-Urdinola, Diego F.; Leon-Solano, Rene. 2011. The AMAL Program : "Hope" for Unemployed Youth in the MENA Region. MNA Knowledge and Learning Fast Brief; No. 88. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/cbbb1f3e-de60-52b7-a6dc-698322838f12 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”