MENARY Monitor is a weekly newsletter, a compilation of English, Arabic, French, Farsi, and Turkish news items from trusted sources in addition to insightful comments. MENARY Monitor will be distributed on weekly basis to government institutions and policy makers, international organizations, researchers, and other relevant stakeholders. The main objective is to provide these stakeholders with trusted, accurate, and accessible updates on all matters concerning youth in the MENA region to save them time and effort and provide them with the points of concern requiring action.

MENARY Monitor aims to become the main source of all news and updates concerning youth of the MENA Region. In doing so, it looks to provide policy makers, international and local organizations, and researchers with accessible, accurate, and timely updates, news items, commentary, and analysis to guide them towards the needs requiring action.

Youth, in this context, are those aged 18-30 in the Middle East and North Africa region. There is an absence of attention for young people in the MENA region. This is manifested in the lack of proper programming along with the inadequacy of their quality, if any. Youth of the region continue to be sidelined, and there is a lack of urgency when it comes to policy making related to youth.

The MENAACTION Youth Index (MYI) seeks to compile all youth-related data into one index. This index comprises of a variety of sub-indicators, including economic inclusion, educational opportunities, freedoms, equality, political engagement, cultural engagement, health, technology, and environment. MYI adopts Amartya Sen’s definition of Human Development: “human development is about the expansion of citizens capabilities, including increasing citizens’ access and opportunities to the things they have reason to value.” MYI applies these ideals onto youth in the MENA region.