The voice of Arab youth

THE FINDINGS of a survey on Arab youth unveiled by ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller present interesting insights on the shifts in the priorities and outlook of the Arab world’s largest demographic. At over 200 million people, Arab youth have indeed been at the forefront of the epochal changes that the Middle East and North Africa region witnessed in the recent past. Their call for good education, jobs and a better lifestyle has not only shifted the region’s political dynamics but also led to dramatic shifts in governmental policy.

Three years after what the world describes as Arab Spring, or as some youth prefer to call the ‘Autumn of the Despots,’ there is now a shift in how Arab youth view the trail of recent events.

The survey points out that an increasing number of the youth believe that their lives will not be better off in five years. Compared to some 71 per cent of Arab youth who expressed optimism in ‘the uprisings across the Arab world’ in 2012 to improve their lives, this year, only 58 per cent are confident of positive change arising from the conflict.

However, their confidence in the ability of national governments to address their living standards, economic stability and unemployment has grown over the years.

Interestingly, a majority of Arab youth find the UAE’s economic model and success as an inspiration. Given a choice, they also prefer to live in the UAE — a strong endorsement of the development model of the country.

According to the survey, rising costs and unemployment continue to be their key concerns while an increasing number of Arab youth are inspired to wear the entrepreneurial hat, and are also increasingly willing to work with the private sector. These are positive trends that must be leveraged.

The value of such surveys, ultimately, depends on the resolve of policy makers and decision-makers to draw on the findings and work towards positive change.

The voice of the Arab youth is an important gauge of public sentiment. In today’s connected world, the youth are no longer confined to silos. They are engaged with the rest of the world, and they understand and assimilate the political and social undercurrents of the society.

They realise that civil strife threatens future prosperity. But more than ever before, as the survey points out, they are now willing to shoulder the responsibility of shaping their future rather than rely on governmental entitlements. This is a positive opportunity the Arab world must not let go.

A majority of Arab youth find the UAE’s economic model and success an inspiration