MENARY Monitor – Edition 106

April 9, 2023

Politics and Political Engagement

Yemen’s official sources revealed that an agreement has been reached to extend the armistice in Yemen until the end of this year and extended to include humanitarian and economic measures. The agreement is said to also include opening the Sanaa airport to wider flights, resuming the export of oil from Yemen’s ports, consolidating currency and disbursing salaries to civilian and military employees, opening the roads in Taiz and other areas, and releasing prisoners as part of the agreement signed between the Yemeni Government and the Houthis in Switzerland. The source indicated that the meeting with Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, which brought together members of the Presidential Leadership Council under the chairmanship of Rashad al-Alimi, was to brief the Yemeni leadership on the understandings reached by Saudi Arabia with the Houthis over the past period. According to the same sources, the armistice extension agreement would be announced within hours after the Houthi’s approval and accompanied by the signing of a general framework for a political solution. 

The first phase of Euro-Med Monitor’s Beirut-based Youth for Rights Fellowship program, has concluded. The program spans a total of four months and enrolls over 20 young people from various MENA countries. This initiative is part of the Euro-Med Monitor overall strategy to provide youth with a platform and turn victims of human rights violations across the region, who are often passive recipients of outside aid, into active defenders of their own rights. It included intensive training and lectures on human rights work, international law, international humanitarian law, procedural mechanisms for defending human rights, and practical steps to achieve these mechanisms. During the second phase, fellows will undertake two months of practical training in partner human rights organizations.

Economics and Entrepreneurship

The Information and Decision Support Center of the Council of Ministers, in Egypt, released a new paper titled “The Role of Fintech in Reducing the Digital Divide between Rural and Urban Egypt“. The paper provides recommendations to decision makers that help reduce the urban-rural digital divide by expanding the application and use of “Fintech”, which has been defined as modern technologies and techniques employed in the provision of financial services rather than traditional financial means such as innovative applications, procedures, products, and business models provided online using sophisticated technological means. The digital divide has been defined as the gap between those who have access to affordable digital technology services while being able to use it as opposed to those who lack it.

The Promising Aden Youth Foundation, in partnership with the Civil Network for Media, Development, and Human Rights, launched the second training camp program for 400 trainees. The program, which will last for 6 days, aims to strengthen the capacities of youth of Aden in three basic areas: management, strategic planning, and communication. The Undersecretary of Aden for Development Affairs emphasized the importance of the training program in enhancing young people’s capacities in areas that enable them to engage in the labor market and contribute to the building of government institutions during the next phase.

Conflict

The Israeli occupation forces arrested six young men from different areas of occupied Jerusalem after searching their homes, tampering with their belongings and confiscating their personal phones. The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced that a Palestinian citizen was killed and another critically wounded by Israeli occupation forces while storming the city of Nablus. In Nablus alone, since the beginning of this year, the death toll has risen to 93 Palestinians, including 17 children and women.

The Israeli judiciary extended the arrests of 17 young Palestinian detainees arrested by the Israeli police for allegedly “disrupting the regime” while participating in protests in Arab towns over occupation violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque. The police threatened to act decisively and use “all available means” to prosecute and suppress those they described as “hooligans”. The police had arrested a number of protesters, including minors, who had participated in the protests in several Palestinian towns. Police forces reportedly assaulted the protesters and tried to disperse them by force using stun grenades, rubber bullets, and tear gas canisters.

A Palestinian youth was shot by the Israeli occupation forces in Wadi al-Fara’a, south of Tubas, in the occupied West Bank. According to Ma’an News Agency, medical sources indicated that a young man was shot in the left shoulder, after which he was taken to Tubas Public Hospital. Local sources reported that the young man was wounded while stopping by the roadside to repair a malfunction in his vehicle, as enemy forces stormed the area and confrontations broke out. the Palestinian Red Crescent Society also indicated that its crews had dealt with dozens of asphyxiations caused by tear gas inhalation in Beit Djan, Beta, and Qurayut in Nablus governorate.

The Israeli occupation forces shot dead a Palestinian youth during an incursion into the northern West Bank town of Azzoun. Ahed Salim, 20, was hit in the chest and belly by live fire. Since the start of 2023, Israeli forces have killed at least 93 Palestinians, in what the Palestinian health ministry has described as the deadliest start to a year since 2000.

Iranian authorities are installing cameras in public places to identify and penalize unveiled women. After they have been identified, violators will receive “warning text messages as to the consequences”, the Iranian police said in a statement. The move is aimed at “preventing resistance against the hijab law,” adding that such resistance tarnishes the country’s spiritual image and spreads insecurity. The police statement called on owners of businesses to “seriously monitor the observance of societal norms with their diligent inspections”.

Development

VICE Media Group has published the first edition of “The State of Arab Youth”, which provides insights into the current mindsets, aspirations, and behaviors of youth in MENA. VICE conducted the online survey with 2,134 young people aged 16 to 41 in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Key insights can be categorized into four main pillars: the concept of Arab youth identity is evolving; the community is broadcasting new cultures through expression; advancements in culture are being fueled by digital connectivity; and unmatched ambition is opening up new worlds. According to the survey, 52% of youth pointed to personality as the main driver of their identity, while 49% attributed it to family and 47% education – all three were found to be stronger in the region than traditional markers of identity, such as age and gender. Nearly half of the respondents defined success as “when I feel happy / content,” while 45% said success was about “achieving a good work life balance”. 

200 young Egyptian girls from the Kafr al-Sheikh Youth Center participated in the leadership program for girls “Rehana“. Program activities and events include lectures on leadership, legal rights, entrepreneurship, etiquette, community participation, as well as interactive dialogues.

The Emirati Youth Council of the Archives and the National Library, together with the Youth Council of the Integrated Transport Center and the General Women’s Union Youth Council, discussed ways to enhance constructive communication with a view to cooperating, exchanging experiences and raising awareness of the role of young people in sustainable development.

Environment

The Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation stated that the Ministry is working to support and develop training programs for young engineers and researchers in all areas related to optimal water resources management. One way of implementing the “International Water Sector Adaptation Initiative“, launched by Egypt during COP27, involves building water capacity, through the Regional Training Center for Water Resources while developing its institutional capacities and improving the quality of its training. The Center holds 235 training courses for 5,500 trainees per year in addition to six training courses for 150 Arab and African trainees annually.

The Directorate of Youth and Sports in Kafr el-Sheikh, Egypt, launched a one-day camp titled “Our Children Our Future“, in the Shannu Youth Center, attended by 90 adolescents. The camp included workshops on climate change, environmental activities, community service and citizenship.

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MENARY Monitor – Edition 105

April 2, 2023

Politics and Political Engagement

Palestinian human rights lawyer and former diplomat, Ghaith al-Omari, spoke about the especially difficult conditions faced by young Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank, many of whom feel desperately unhappy as they endure economic crisis and political paralysis. The prospects are extremely dim, and youth have no options, as their ability to find employment is non-existent. The economy in Gaza has been destroyed because of the siege imposed by the Israeli occupation and because of the practices of Hamas. Al-Omari indicates that these difficulties force Palestinian youth to take huge risks and emigrate through the Mediterranean, where they risk drowning, among other challenges, through their journey to reach Europe. 

Economics and Entrepreneurship

A survey conducted by Forward MENA in Lebanon found that 88% of Lebanese digital and tech companies are actively looking to hire full time employees but are unable to find the right talent, a worrying indicator of the gap between education and the job market. The survey aimed to better understand their hiring needs and challenges faced in finding qualified talents. The survey also revealed that skills in digital marketing, social media, UI/UX design, and Adobe programs are in high demand. Companies also emphasized the need for “strong” soft skills, including critical thinking, teamwork, and emotional intelligence, in addition to skills such as adaptation, resilience, and building one’s own capacity for continuous learning. Additionally, Developer Associate certifications and DevOps Engineering certifications are highly appreciated and are considered to be a strong asset in the hiring process for 72% of the companies surveyed. While these results highlight the current digital trends, they also underline the difficulties in finding qualified candidates. 

The Qatar Red Crescent Representative Office in Gaza participated in a graduation ceremony for 73 young men and women who received training on remote work, as part of the “Opening a livelihood for women and young people from poor families in the Gaza Strip” project. Dr. Akram Nassar, Director of the Qatari Red Crescent Office in the Gaza Strip, the interventions to develop the capacity of young graduates have contributed to improving economic conditions in Gaza, indicating that 73 beneficiaries gained practical experience in the 5 disciplines of e-marketing, mobile application programming, user experience and interface design, translation, and content writing. It is worth mentioning that the project includes the implementation of 3 key components, namely remote work, temporary paid employment opportunities for 75 beneficiaries, and project management training and financial grants to finance projects that benefited 50 women from the Gaza Strip, at a total cost of US $457,000.

10 people died and others were missing, following the collapse of a gold mine in the city of Wadi Halfa in the northern parts of Sudan. Eyewitnesses reported that workers were searching for gold inside the mine wells in the lower locations, and because of the use of old machinery, the wells cracked. The private mining sector accommodates more than 2 million people working in Sudan’s sprawling regions amid extremely harsh conditions and produces about 80% of the total amount of gold extracted in the country. The Sudanese government does not prohibit private mining but attempts to regulate it, despite its negatives.

Conflict

The Defense for Children International Palestine movement has documented the testimonies of young men and women in Jenin who have been traumatized by military action. The movement said in its report that, in addition to violating the right to life of 17 children since the beginning of the year, the practices of the Israeli forces had resulted in significant effects on other children, as the violence they had witnessed had violated their rights guaranteed by international law and threatened their psychological and social security. A 17-year-old said: “While my classmate and I were heading to school in the morning, the Israeli army stormed the camp and started shooting from all directions. He was killed. We were planning together to graduate from school, go to university, and study together, but all of that was shattered.” A 16-year-old said: “The occupation’s raids into the camp have become routine. The army enters at any time, so I can no longer leave the house. I am afraid of the army’s raids while I am outside the home.” Khaled Quzmar, DCIP director, said that the Israeli army’s use of excessive force had left Palestinian children with no sense of security and no confidence in the future, indicating “children live in the situation of hopelessness. A child was found in Dheisheh camp moving around with his will written on a piece of paper in his pocket because he was afraid that he would be in the wrong place at the wrong time and might be killed.” 

A 26-year-old Palestinian man, from the village of Hurwa in the Negev, was shot dead by Israeli occupying forces near the chain gate, one of the gates leading to the courtyards of the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque. According to the Palestinian news agency Ma’an, eyewitnesses refuted the occupation’s allegations that the young man had tried to steal a soldier’s weapon, pointing out that the occupation police had shot him after the young man attempted to defend a girl who was being beaten by the occupation forces near the gate.

Israeli occupation forces arrested two university students near the settlement of “Halamish”, located on the villages of Deir Nizam and Nabi Saleh, north-west of Ramallah. According to security sources, the occupying forces arrested students Annan Safi and Mustafa al-Riyahi from Jalazon camp, as they passed a military roadblock near the settlement while their colleague Abdul Karim al-Taih was released after being held for some time.

The Houthi militia continued for the fourth consecutive day, the practice of terrorizing Ibb’s youth who participated in the funeral of activist Hamdi Abd al-Razaq al-Khulani, raiding the homes of a number of citizens who engaged in the funeral. The sources confirmed that the Houthi militants abducted four youths in Ibb and threatened them that their fate would be the same as that of al-Kulani in an implicit confession that he had been killed in their prisons.

Development

The Naja’ al-Massekh Youth Center in Sohag, Egypt, carried out an awareness seminar on the dangers of drug addiction on the individual and society. Yusri Kafvi, Under-Secretary of the Directorate of Youth and Sports in Sohag, said that the aim of the seminar was to discuss the issue of addiction, its different types, and the causes of addiction.

The Directorate of Youth and Sports and the Directorate of Parliament and Civic Education in Luxor carried out the first event of the National Dialogue of the Youth Parliament under the theme of “Youth thinking“. A comprehensive political dialogue was organized on various political, economic, social, cultural, and sustainable development issues. The participants were familiarized with the first Dialogue Forum held back in 2016, with emphasis on its recommendations. The participants were also educated on the forum’s objective as well as the training plan. The participants were divided into working groups to formulate their problems along three themes to prepare them to devise their solutions and recommendations.

Education

The Minister of State for Migration and Egyptian Affairs Abroad convened a meeting with members of the Ministry’s Center for Dialogue for Egyptian Youth Abroad “MEDC” to discuss the strategy for the work of the new phase of the center, which includes a number of important themes that serve the objectives of the center, as well as to maximize the role of its members and benefit them and integrate them into the development plans of the State. The minister moderated a discussion on the mechanisms for working with the center’s youth team, including a discussion of the pillars of the strategy regulating the new phase of MEDC. This includes the establishment of an advisory council for young Egyptian researchers abroad, comprising all scientific disciplines, to provide scientific recommendations and solutions to priority areas for the Egyptian State in cooperation with ministries and concerned agencies on a voluntary basis.

Environment

To engage young people in the design of environmental initiatives in Palestine, Shim-Youth Create the Future Foundation organized a hackathon titled “Environmental Youth Challenge“, in partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and FHI360, funded by USAID. The environmental challenge involved 30 young women in six environmental initiatives, from Nablus, Jenin, Qalqilya, and Tulkarm, where training lasted for three days. Three women were selected to win a $2,000 award for a three-year period during which environmental initiatives will be implemented. The Rose Land Initiative won the first place for their initiative aimed to use wastewater that is refined at the purification plant and used for irrigation of plantations, specifically roses of various kinds. The Needle and Thread Initiative won second place for their initiative that seeks to collect fabrics accumulated in furniture and sewing occupants and transform them into usable products that help reduce the damage caused by these fabrics. The “Our Children at a Clean Environmental Pace” initiative won third place for their recycling initiative that aims to leverage waste, such as the tires of vehicles, packages, cans, and torches.

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MENARY Monitor – Edition 103

March 19, 2023

Politics and Political Engagement

A United Nations commission of inquiry stated that the UN itself along with the Syrian government are responsible for delays in getting emergency aid to Syrians after the earthquake. The commission’s statement said that the conflicting actors failed to agree a pause in hostilities and to allow life-saving aid through any available route, leaving Syrians feeling “abandoned and neglected by those supposed to protect them, in the most desperate of times.” The report from Arab News indicated that neither Syria’s information ministry nor a UNOCHA spokesperson immediately provided a comment when asked.

The Ministry of Youth of the Government of National Unity, Libya, announced that it began accepting applications from potential candidates for the Libyan Youth Parliament in its second annual session, as part of the Democratic Youth Learning Initiative, which brings together 200 young people from different parts of Libya. The Government of National Unity stated, on its Facebook page, that the conditions include (a) the candidate must be between 17 and 25 years of age at the time of his candidacy; (b) cannot be a member of the Supreme Electoral Commission; (c) must abide by the rules established by the Supreme Candidates’ Committee; and (d) uphold good conduct throughout the annual cycle of the program.

The capital’s Youth Center, in Jordan, held a panel discussion on promoting youth participation in democracy, with 25 participants aged 18 to 30. The discussion included the evolution of political life in Jordan since the establishment of the Transjordan, the most important stages of democracy, and the impact of the political reforms led by King Abdullah II on the political development process and its reflection on young people, along with the most important laws and legislation supporting young people’s participation in the democratic process.

The Qatari Josour Forum and the Kayan-Women’s Organization met with more than 15 activists representing women’s groups in Palestinian towns. The meeting discussed practical approaches to encourage women and young people to participate actively in social change and overcome major challenges in order to increase women and youth’s participation and role in politics.

Economics and Entrepreneurship

In Egypt, the fourth edition of the World Women’s Summit was launched to discuss the leadership role of women. The Summit discussed women’s leadership and effectiveness in the ICT industry as well as discussing the success stories and personal experiences of participants, to create credible experiences and engage them with attendees to enhance opportunities for professional, institutional, and community development. The Summit discussed women’s empowerment in technology and digital transformation through leadership development for professional growth, networking capabilities, exchange of experiences, and perspectives on best practices and right measures for issues related to scientific and technological development.

Conflict

Iranian police said that 110 suspects have been arrested in connection with the suspected poisoning of thousands of girls in schools across the country. Authorities say they are investigating, but there has been no word on who might be behind the incidents or what — if any — chemicals have been used. Gen. Saeed Montazerolmehdi, the police spokesperson, announced the arrests and said police had confiscated thousands of stink bomb toys, indicating that some of the alleged attacks might have been copycat pranks while others appear to be more serious, with hundreds of students hospitalized, according to local media reports and rights groups. A lawmaker on a government panel investigating the incidents said that as many as 5,000 students have complained of being sickened in 230 schools across 25 provinces. Human Rights Activists in Iran, a group that has closely monitored the recent protests, has put the number at over 7,000 students.

Human rights sources revealed that the Houthi militia transferred 10 civilian abductees to an unidentified destination, as part of procedures it has been following for several days in conjunction with Switzerland’s negotiations between the government and the Houthis on prisoners and detainees. A journalist, who was released from Houthi prisons, quoted sources from the abductees’ families as saying, “the Houthis transferred 10 civilian abductees who were present in the Houthi-controlled security and intelligence prison in Sanaa to an unknown destination”.

The Iran-backed Houthi militia prevented the national junior football team from holding a training session at the 70th Park Stadium in Sanaa. Private sources said that the militia required players to pay money to be allowed entry into the field. The coach asked the federation to move the training camp to a different city amid continued harassment by the Houthi militia.

Arab News reported that Saudi Arabian authorities seized about 4.6 million amphetamine pills in shipments of ceramic toilets, sinks, and washbasins, in an attempt to smuggle into the kingdom. Amphetamines are classified as stimulant drugs that speed up messages sent to and from the brain and the body, and are used to treat conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. They are highly addictive and dangerous.

Development

Art is considered a haven for young Tunisians from marginalized neighborhoods on the outskirts of Tunisia’s capital, where infrastructure is lacking. They strive to dispel the stereotype that classifies them as deviants. These neighborhoods have been impoverished for decades and reinforce the image of a growing environment of violence. Muhammad Ali al-Ayari, who lives in the densely populated neighborhood of Hesher Roundabout, says: “These claims disrupt us and complicate our lives.” The 23-year-old young man, who works as a guard, recently won a segment of rap music in a competition organized by the International Alert, which is active in integrating youth in marginalized areas of Tunisia. The organization selected dozens of young people from the neighborhoods of Hesher Roundabout, Fushana, Al-Tadamon, and Sidi Hussein to express themselves in their own way through music, documentaries, and photographs addressing the subject of violence. The organization’s coordinator explains that “there are people who are subjected to violence on a daily basis, some of whom are engaged in it and others who suffer from it. Hence the idea of transforming it into cultural activities.”

As part of the “Strengthening the Role of Youth in the Fight against Corruption” project, The Wojood for Human Security organization held a dialogue session with General Muttahar Naji al-Shuaibi, Director of Aden Security Institution along with other personnel. During the meeting, participants recommended the need to train and rehabilitate the personnel of security agencies, activate oversight and accountability roles, implement the principle of equality and justice among members of society and pay salaries on a regular basis, as well as rehabilitate police facilities and provide all material needs that help to complete the work. The outputs of the session included the preparation of the draft code of conduct for law enforcement officers, which was delivered to the Director for approval.

Zawya reported that the UAE announced the establishment of a new center for promoting peace and co-existence through educational programs for young people in the region. Named the Manara Center – The Regional Center for Coexistence, the Emirati authorities launched the center at an event held in Abu Dhabi. The Manara Center will focus on empowering young people across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia to play an active role in promoting and practicing coexistence through their participation in three categories of synergistic university-based programs. It is worth noting that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) will be a flagship partner for the center to help implement key educational programming.

The Jordanian Public Security Directorate (PSD) organized a youth march to raise awareness about the dangers of drugs in Zarqa governorate. During the march, more than 300 young men and women from different regions of the governorate, members of youth centers, and civil society organizations took part to reject drugs and raise awareness about their dangers. The march embodied the image of community togetherness to reject this devastating plague through a national image that depicts the role of youth in addressing it and introducing patriotic roles to protect the community, said officials. The march is part of the National Program for Security and Youth launched in partnership between the PSD and the Ministry of Youth, with the aim of spreading awareness among youth and promoting their positive participation in building safe and stable societies.

Education

The Lebanese Minister of Education, Abbas Al-Halabi, promised to deliver the demands of teachers from private schools to the Prime Minister for the equal provision of the subsidized five liters of petrol per working day along with accelerating the issuance of the government decision to dedicate 10 billion Lebanese Lira to support the Private Education Teachers’ Retirement Fund, and accelerating the implementation of the law to support public and private schools. Halabi had met with a delegation from the teachers’ union, and he hoped that the union would not proceed with the strike in the interest of the school year. The meeting discussed teachers’ demands amid the current financial challenges in Lebanon. 

Zawya reported that education experts indicated that Kuwait currently lags behind in the Gulf region and globally in terms of education quality. The experts spoke of the need to develop an urgent plan for education reform, stressing that the successive developments in the labor market require the rehabilitation of a generation capable of innovation in the fields of newly created businesses, pointing to the need to update the curricula and develop modern teaching methods away from indoctrination and memorization. They also highlighted that these challenges persist despite a hefty allocated budget from the state. They touched on the replacement plan in the education sectors, pointing out that Kuwaitization requires addressing the reluctance of Kuwaiti youth from the teaching profession, noting that the development of education begins with setting a clear and fixed strategy that does not change with the change of leaders. This would include, inter alia, aligning the secondary education system with the types of university specializations offered locally, regionally, and globally.

The Egyptian Minister of Migration presented the idea of establishing the Youth Council of Scientists and Researchers, emphasizing its importance in drawing on the experiences Egyptian expatriate students have learned abroad to support Egypt’s sustainable development goals. The Minister added that she is keen to take advantage of youth’s capacities and provide them with better opportunities.

The Egyptian Ministry of Planning and Economic Development organized the first training program for youth participants in the student competitions, as part of the Youth for Development Initiative. Held at Cairo University, the training event saw the participation of governmental, community, and private universities and young participants. The event discussed national projects implemented under the umbrella of the Dignified Life Initiative in villages and target centers, as well as the criteria for the success of development projects. The training also included familiarizing young people with the strategies, program, and policies that the Egyptian State is working on.

Environment

The UAE Youth Envoy for Climate Change at the Conference of the Parties (COP28), Hoor Ahli, said that UAE youth will play a pioneering and pivotal role in the success of this event that will enhance the country’s global efforts to reduce the impact of climate change. Ahli added: “we continue to work on creating a distinctive model for youth participation in the COP28 Conference, reflecting the vision of the Government of the State and guiding the wise leadership of UAE youth to a new stage in the decision-making process in climate action.” Ahli emphasized the fundamental role of young people in global climate action initiatives, as underscored by their projects, ideas, and innovations in sectors vital to the planet’s future, stressing the need to give young people around the world the opportunity to showcase their innovative sustainability projects so that they can participate actively and seek to transform their ideas into concrete solutions.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) announced that four Regional Climate Weeks will be held over 2023 to build momentum ahead of COP28 and the conclusion of the first global stocktake, designed to chart the way for fulfilling the Paris Agreement’s key goals. Of these climate weeks events, the Middle East and North Africa Climate Week (MENACW 2023), will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between 9-12 October, hosted by the government of Saudi Arabia. UNFCCC indicates that Regional Climate Weeks bring together a diverse range of stakeholders for regional collaboration on climate change, including representatives of governments, private sector companies, development organizations, youth groups, and civil society organizations.  

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MENARY Monitor – Edition 98

February 12, 2023

Politics and Political Engagement

Many Iranian social media activists welcomed the meeting of the Iranian opposition at Georgetown University in Washington, United States. They emphasized that the meeting reflected “solidarity and hope for the future”. The meeting of the “Future of the Iranian Democratic Movement” featured statements from several notable opposition figures, including former Crown Prince, Reza Pahlavi. The meeting is said to have resulted in a pact of solidarity and Iran’s freedom, and that the pact was expected to be submitted shortly. Meanwhile, activists called for mass protests, 40 days after the regime executed two activists.

Middle East Eye reported that Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has pardoned “tens of thousands of convicts”, including those arrested in recent anti-government protests, as reported by state news agency IRNA. Khamenei said he had “agreed to the proposal of the head of the judiciary to pardon or commute the sentences of a significant number of convicts” in honor of the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution. The pardons will not apply to dual nationals, those accused of committing murder, those charged with “spying for foreign agencies”, or those “affiliated with groups hostile to the Islamic Republic”. Human Rights Activists News Agency has reported that about 20,000 people have been arrested in connection with the protests, which authorities accuse Iran’s foreign enemies of fomenting. Norway-based group Iran Human Rights said that at least 109 people are facing execution in protest-related cases.

Acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi has been released on bail after starting a hunger strike to protest against his almost seven-month detention. The director had been arrested months before the current anti-regime protests erupted, but his imprisonment became a symbol of the plight of artists speaking out against the authorities. Panahi has been released from Tehran’s Evin prison “two days after starting his hunger strike for freedom”, the US-based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) said on Twitter.

Middle East Monitor reported that Kuwaiti activists, NGO professionals, and political groups organized a rally in solidarity with Palestinians, as first reported by Quds Press. The participants expressed their support for the Palestinians and their resistance against the Israeli Occupation. They also expressed their opposition to the normalization of ties with the Zionist state. During the rally, the participants chanted: “Palestine is a trust and normalization is treason.. Palestine is an Arab state.”

Economics and Entrepreneurship

The fifth edition of the World Youth Forum in Egypt was cancelled due to “economic burdens”. An Egyptian Parliamentarian stated that holding the event this year “would have provoked a large segment of Egyptian society, given the Government’s austerity measures.” At the beginning of this year, the Egyptian Government approved a package of resolutions to reduce public spending in response to the global crisis, which included postponing the implementation of any new projects financed in dollars. According to an official statement from the Department of the World Youth Forum, the cancellation of this year’s edition was aimed at alleviating the economic burden and driving development. Instead of the Forum, alternative initiatives would be implemented, focused on entrepreneurship, developing farmers’ capacities to achieve food security, and launching the world’s largest youth volunteer platform to help poor countries affected by war, conflict or climate repercussions, as well as to support refugees and migrants.

The Jordan-Iraqi Joint Committee held its twenty-ninth session in Baghdad and reached agreements to enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields. The committee discussed comprehensive issues of cooperation in energy, trade, investment, economic city, transportation, agriculture, education, culture, youth, water, tourism, antiquities, labor, vocational training, works, and other fields. It also discussed areas and projects of trilateral cooperation, which includes Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt, and followed up on the implementation of the outcomes of the summits that brought together the leaders of the three countries.

Conflict

Thirteen Palestinians were injured in an Israeli military raid in Jericho, according to a local medical source. Israeli forces raided the Aqabat Jabr refugee camp in Jericho in the West Bank, triggering clashes with stone-hurling residents. Israeli soldiers used tear gas canisters, rubber-coated bullets, and live fire to disperse angry residents. Witnesses said Israeli forces destroyed a barracks for breeding poultry, and parts of several houses, and arrested six Palestinians during the raid.

The Yemeni Government accused the international community of colluding and turning a blind eye to child recruitment crimes committed by Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen, calling for a blacklist of Houthi militia leaders and members involved in the recruitment of children and their inclusion in sanctions lists. In a statement published by the Yemeni News Agency (SABA), Information Minister Muammar al-Eryani said, “The sight of the visit of the leader in Iran’s Houthi terrorist militia, Mohammad Ali al-Houthi, to a child recruitment camp in Dhamar governorate is enough to awaken the conscience of the world, which turns a blind eye to the crimes of the militia against children.” He explained that the Houthi militia continues to recruit children and brainwash them with extremist terrorist ideas and hatred.

A local source said that the Houthi group had abducted several young people and people from a village in Ibb governorate. The source indicated that the abduction followed dozens of villagers raiding a factory to manufacture alcohol in their village, after they had ascertained that the plant was inside a house, so they broke in, destroyed the house and the factory and shut it down.

Development

Syrian university students, in coordination with the National Federation of Syrian Students, have been volunteering to help transport relief assistance to Damascus International Airport in order to deliver it to those affected by the earthquake. A representative from the Federation said that the students formed voluntary teams to assist in the delivery and transportation of assistance and unloading them from aircraft to send them to the affected areas. They have also been active on social media, calling on the international community to break the blockade and lift the sanctions imposed on Syria.

Despite the difficult living conditions in Jerusalem, as 80% of Jerusalemites are considered below the poverty line, they were still proactive in support of the victims of the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria. They collected donations, most notably in the town of Beit Hanina, raising about US $200,000 in a 3-day campaign.

The “Natasharak” Initiative was launched in North Sinai, Egypt, as part of the Parliaments Programme for Community Initiatives in North Sinai organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports in cooperation with UNICEF. The program involves the implementation of training workshops for youth aged 13 to 19 who will be trained on the skills needed to contribute to the implementation of community initiatives, whose main themes are: girls’ empowerment, community consensus, citizenship, peaceful coexistence, non-violence, environment, green projects, renewable energy, and health.

Education

A survey by African and Velter Foundation found that most young Moroccans believe they are more influenced by Western cultures, especially those of Europe and the United States. The survey was conducted with a sample of 4,500 people, aged 18 to 35, from nine African countries. Respondents also reported that many negative stereotypes about Africa still persist, with 75% believing stories about Africa to be negative, a perception held by 58% of young Moroccans surveyed. 

Environment

The Directorate of Youth and Sports in Kafr el-Sheikh, Egypt, organized a number of events at youth centers to raise awareness on climate change, as part of the Environmental Volunteering Day. One of these events, titled “Climate Change and its Implications on the Environment in the Future”, aimed to raise awareness of the implications of climate change on the environment, including changes in temperature and weather patterns and changes in the solar cycle are mostly induced by human behavior such as the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas. The event concluded with the participating youth planting trees to contribute to the preservation of the environment and reduce those changes and their effects. 

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