North Africa – Page 3

MENARY Monitor – Edition 104

March 26, 2023

Politics and Political Engagement

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, Abdullah Batili, called on the youth in Libya to coordinate efforts to call for elections, and work to ensure that their issues are included in the political process, according to what he posted on his Twitter account. Batili’s invitation came during his meeting yesterday with a group of 26 young men and women from all over Libya, south, east and west. The mission said: These young people “represent a number of youth organizations and networks and student unions.” He called on the youth participating in the meeting, which was held at the headquarters of the UN mission in the capital, Tripoli, “to raise the level of their representation in the decision-making process, and asked the Special Representative to continue his efforts in urging political leaders to move without further delay.”

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Abdullahi Batili, met with a group of 26 young women and men to discuss his efforts to pave the way towards elections in Libya. The UN mission said in a statement that the youth are from all parts of Libya, south, east and west, and represent a number of youth organizations, networks and student unions. According to the statement, young people stressed their desire to choose their own leaders, and highlighted the decline of civic space and violence against women as obstacles to public participation. He called on youth to increase their level of representation in the decision-making process, and asked the Special Representative to continue his efforts to urge political leaders to act without further delay.

In a statement, the Libyan Youth Parliament called on the head of the outgoing government, Abdel Hamid al-Dabaiba, to reconsider the responsibilities of Fathallah al-Zani, Minister of Youth in his government. The statement denounced Al-Zani’s complete disregard for not starting any of the training courses to be implemented, as stated by the Ministry. The statement pointed out that the minister was not qualified to carry out this initiative, which aims to learn democracy. Unfortunately, his initiative was how to learn dictatorship.

68% of Iraqi youth today are under 30 years old. The anger and bitterness of youth in their twenties in Iraq is directed primarily against the system of power that is plagued with corruption and is dominated by backward parties and sectarian militias. While the Iraqi movement was unable to offer an alternative or develop a vision for the future to gain credibility in public opinion.

Economics and Entrepreneurship

Injaz organized the final competition of the Business Challenge Program; Its implementation comes within strategic cooperation with the Ministry of Education, and in partnership with the international “Prince Trust” foundation, for the twelfth year in a row, and this year in partnership with the RYSE project “Youth able to adapt to changes and empowered socially and economically” and the Levant International School and the Montessori School. “The Business Challenge Program is one of more than 40 programs implemented by the Foundation in schools, universities, colleges and youth centers,” said Dima Al-Bibi, CEO of the “Injaz” Foundation, in a speech during the closing ceremony of the competition. With hundreds of partners from the public and private sectors to empower young people by providing them with the knowledge, skills and behaviors required for the labor market in general and for the private sector in particular, and motivating them to achieve their full potential. Al-Bibi indicated that the “Injaz” programs focus mainly on providing students with financial, entrepreneurial and digital skills, noting that in 2018 the mySTARTUP business incubator was established to support entrepreneurial youth and startups, as the incubator graduates more than 50 new startups each year.

The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development held a training program on “preparing feasibility studies“, in cooperation with the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises Development Agency. This is within the framework of following up the results of the development projects that won the first five places in the Youth for Development Initiative competitions, as well as developing the skills of young people participating in the development projects competitions for the academic year 2022-2023. The training program included an introduction to the Enterprise Development Agency and its achievements, the financial and non-financial services it provides, and how to prepare feasibility studies for projects.

Zain Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, with the aim of training 50,000 national cadres over the next three years. This cooperation comes within the framework of the national campaign to motivate the private sector to train “Waad”, and within the framework of the strategic direction of “Zain Saudi Arabia” to enable a digital society and a smart knowledge economy that support achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 related to achieving economic diversification, developing human capabilities and improving the quality of life.

Conflict

On Thursday morning, an Israeli special force killed Amir Abu Khadija (25 years old), after besieging him inside a building in Izbat Shufa in Tulkarm. According to local sources, Abu Khadija was killed after he engaged in a clash with the Israeli force that surrounded him. Eyewitnesses indicated that the Israeli forces arrested a young man from the same place, whose identity was not known.

The Lions’ Den group announced the expansion of its confrontation with the Israeli occupation in support of Palestinian prisoners held by the occupation. “Our message to the heroic prisoners is: We heard you and your message and the Lions’ Den groups are with you and will not let you down, with the help of God. You are one of us and we are one of you, and only death will stand between us and our support for you. We made our decision to expand our confrontation in support of our prisoners in these difficult times and you will see us speak the truth in our actions on the ground.”

An increasing number of Palestinians are making the perilous journey to Europe, to escape the repeated wars, Israeli blockade and Egyptian restrictions that have left the Gaza Strip isolated since 2007. United Nations statistics show that more than 2,700 Palestinians arrived in Greece by sea in 2022, which constitutes 22% of the total number of boat arrivals, the highest rate of any national group. Not all of those who made the journey reached their destination. According to the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, more than 378 people have died or gone missing while trying to migrate from Gaza since 2014, and 3 have died so far in 2023. Gazans say they are ruled by three governments: the Palestinian Authority, headed by Mahmoud Abbas, which has limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and employs thousands of people in Gaza, the Islamist Hamas movement that runs the strip, and Israel, the third entity that controls the actual Gaza’s borders. According to estimates by the Palestinians and the United Nations, the youth unemployment rate in Gaza is about 70%, a figure that makes building a future a distant dream for most young people. For its part, Hamas says that a permanent solution to unemployment is beyond its ability alone, and blames the dire economic situation on Israel, which has waged repeated wars against the movement in Gaza while continuing its blockade of the Strip.

The Assad regime and the Iranians continue to exploit the tragedy resulting from the earthquake that struck northern Syria last February, as private sources revealed that Iran had recently launched a new recruitment campaign with the aim of converting more residents of Aleppo and including them in the ranks of its militias, taking advantage of the misery in which they live and whose impact was exacerbated by the earthquake by offering a series of temptations. Mrs. (Fatima Manghani) told Orient Net: “They dragged our youth to volunteer in their ranks and convert them to Shiism. They took advantage of their tragedy and their loss of the most basic necessities of life, and they offered temptations.” She added: “Before we left and with the start of announcing the provision of aid in Aleppo, where Assad’s media was buzzing about it, there were campaigns similar to (missionary campaigns) in order to convert to Shiism and join them. They offered many temptations, the most important of which is finding a house to house every family instead Her demolished house, which attracted many people after they were left in the open, after the Assad regime expelled them from mosques and schools, noting that the militias deliberately demolished even the undamaged buildings under the pretext that they are about to fall.

It is not an ordinary drug, but rather it is on the list of the most powerful and dangerous, an acid extracted from a plant that does not exist in Morocco. As for the drug, it reaches the youth of the country arrive in one way or another, and they use it to live a journey into the unknown, or what they call it in their language, “the trip.” Small pieces of paper that cannot be easily identified, this is how Moroccan youth access it, and what they contain is a very strong acid, in microgram quantities, one of which is sufficient to send a person on his journey for a period of up to sixteen hours. Abd al-Razzaq Shenyat, an excellent police brigadier general and head of the Narcotic Drugs and Legal Poisoning Department at the National Laboratory of the Scientific and Technical Police, introduced us to this drug, which among its names among the public is “the tamper”, of which an amount of 25 micrograms is sufficient to enter the user into the world of major hallucinations. Shenyat said in a statement to Hespress that the drug is extracted from a type of mushroom that does not exist in Morocco, and that is why it is called “mushroom,” indicating that the person who discovered it for the first time was “Hoffman Albert” through an accident, as his skin drank the substance during his trip to his home. He lived the so-called “bad trip”. There are special rituals to consume it, since this drug is not like any other. All necessary precautions must be taken so that undesirable consequences do not happen, such as accidents; it is usually done in secret parties in open spaces hard to reach.

Development

The Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction and Abuse, in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime – Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa, held a workshop for policy makers and executive leaders in the Arab countries with the aim of supporting national responses aimed at strengthening the youth’s ability to confront drugs, crime and violence associated with them. The workshop was inaugurated by Dr. Amr Othman, Assistant Minister of Social Solidarity and Director of the Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction and Abuse, and Christina Albertin, the Regional Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in the presence of Mirna Bou Habib, Deputy Regional Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and 30 leadership representatives of policy makers and leaders. Executive Committee of the Arab States Egypt, Algeria, Lebanon, Sudan, Libya and Palestine. Dr. Amr Othman, Assistant Minister of Social Solidarity – Director of the Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction and Abuse, stressed the importance of solidarity to confront all the issues and problems of the youth of the Arab world, whose exports include the problem of drug abuse, stressing that the file of combating drugs, crime and related violence, especially among young people, is one of the files The main issues on the agenda of the Egyptian government in the last eight years in particular, as one of the most important priorities for development work in Egypt.

The Young Global Leaders Forum (YGL) was created in 2004 with the aim of helping the world tackle increasingly complex and interdependent problems. The Young Global Leaders Forum was launched to give people under the age of 40 a safe space to learn from each other so they can be better leaders for their companies and communities in general with more than 1,400 young global leaders who come from all walks of life, including artists, heads of state, CEOs of leading startups, activists, academics, researchers and journalists. The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2023 identifies current threats facing the world including the cost of living crisis, social unrest and trade wars. Coupled with new risks such as the war in Ukraine, a new era of low growth, the rapid development of dual-use technologies (civilian and military), and the growing impact of climate change. It is also important to facilitate intergenerational dialogue through the Young Leaders community, not only because Young Global Leaders crave learning opportunities; but also to involve older generations so that together they can create a lasting impact.

Education

The University of Arish announced the end of the activities of the second Young Researchers Conference, which was held for two days at the university’s headquarters under the title: “Development and green transformation in light of climate challenges” with the participation of a large number of researchers from various Egyptian universities. The university confirmed that the conference issued important recommendations and alternative solutions to overcome climate change and preserve the environment in line with the state’s development plan 2030. Dr. Hassan El-Demerdash, President of Arish University, said in a statement, on Tuesday, that among the recommendations of the conference is shedding light on development projects in Sinai and various environmental studies that serve the Sinai citizen and environment, recycling foil and other waste that has a negative impact on the environment, as well as developing methods Highly efficient desalination of sea water in Sinai by using solar cells, especially in poor areas, to save electricity and rationalize consumption, benefit from wild medicinal plants spread in North Sinai, and intensify research on them so that they can be used in many medical and other fields. It is noteworthy that the conference was opened the day before yesterday under the title: “Development and green transformation in light of climate challenges” under the auspices of Dr. It aims to achieve sustainable development and the transformation of the green economy, which maximizes the benefit of the human and natural elements of the Egyptian state, which is supported by the political leadership and His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic.

Environment

The “Arab Youth Center” registered in one day the training of more than 1,000 young men and women on the principles of climate awareness, through its new intensive awareness course, free of charge, aimed at introducing Arab youth to the opportunities through which they can contribute to climate action locally, regionally and internationally, in conjunction with the region’s readiness to host the summit. Global climate conference “COP28” on the territory of the United Arab Emirates in the fourth quarter of this year. The Arab Youth Council for Climate Change, under the umbrella of the Center, continues to offer the free intensive course entitled “The ABCs of Climate Change” as part of its multiple tasks to prepare young Arab leaders for climate action. The course constitutes an educational and awareness program that introduces young people, in Arabic, English and French, to the most important risks of climate change and environmental threats from a regional perspective, with a special focus on the objectives of the “COP” conference, in which most countries of the world participate annually. The course program focuses on enhancing Arab youth’s awareness of the challenge of climate change and ways to contribute to confronting it and devising solutions to it, by understanding what climate change is and its causes such as greenhouse gases responsible for global warming, and assessing our role as humans and our impact on the pace of climate change of our planet. The Arab Youth Center announced the launch of the “ABCs of Climate Change” course at the beginning of this year, as part of the activities of the “Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week” and in conjunction with the declaration of 2023 as the year of sustainability in the UAE and the year of Arab youth by the League of Arab States.

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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 102

March 12, 2023

Politics and Political Engagement

Middle East Monitor published an article discussing the plight of young women in Egypt under the reign of Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi who has been promoting himself in the media as an advocate for women, speaking to women on their international day with respect and appreciation. However, the truth is that, under his rule, Egyptian women have been suffering more than ever before, as they are forced to bear the state’s failure to provide basic services. Egyptian women are forced to give up all of their rights in order to be able to reduce expenses, so that the family’s income can withstand price hikes. Young women are losing their youth as they are forced to work to cover their expenses. Recently, video clips have circulated of women, including those begging Al-Sisi to take pity on the people after he imposed high prices on them, while some are regretting their absolute support for him. However, it seems that he does not remember these women until it is time for a photo op.

Middle East Monitor published a report discussing how a potential agreement in Libya could finally lead to holding the long-awaited elections. Current UN envoy to Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily, is proposing a “High-level Steering Panel for Libya” which would bring together all “relevant Libyan stakeholders,” including representatives of political institutions, major political figures, tribal leaders, civil society organizations, security actors, and women and youth representatives. That panel will, in the envoy’s words, facilitate the adoption of the “legal framework and time-bound roadmap” aimed at holding concurrent presidential and parliamentarian elections later this year. The biggest problem in the initiative is that it was built upon the assumption that the House of Representatives (HoR) and the Higher Council of State (HCS) would disagree, as is usually the case, when it comes to adopting the “legal framework” and a roadmap for elections. However, the HCS voted unexpectedly during an extraordinary session on 2 March, to approve the amendment of the Constitutional Declaration adopted by parliament, thus paving the way for elections to take place. If the HoR and HCS agree about elections, then there is no need for the “High-level Steering Panel”.

The Tehran Neighborhood Youth Group called for a new demonstration on Tuesday in front of the Iranian Parliament building, as well as in front of the education directorates’ buildings, to protest against the toxic attacks on girls’ schools in Iran.

Economics and Entrepreneurship

Data from the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Localization showed that the age group of 25-39 years accounted for the largest share of the total number of private sector employees in the country at 58%. The Ministry’s data showed that 3.22 million workers, out of a total of 5.57 million in 2022, were employed in the private sector, 20% of whom are aged between 30 and 34, followed by those aged between 25 and 29 years, with 19%, and then those between 35 and 39 years, with a 19%. The Ministry said earlier that the legislation governing the labor market set out the 6 working patterns to be contracted between the worker and the employer. This follows the introduction of a post-sharing pattern whereby functions and duties are divided between more than one staff member to perform pre-agreed functions.

Blinx is a new digital startup that is preparing for launch in Dubai focused on engaging Gen Z and Millennials across the Middle East and beyond and led by Arab journalist Nakhle Elhage who had led Al Arabiya for 16 years. Elhage said that Blinx aims to “inspire youth through honest, genuine, and spectacular storytelling. By providing news, entertainment and infotainment powered by the best tech and people available, we help build a better tomorrow. Engaging the region’s talented, bold, and brave storytellers, our new digital hub aims to be the go-to destination for stories that connect young people in MENA to the world and like-minded communities.” The startup pledges “more story, less noise” and will use the latest in broadcast technology – such as an extended reality studio – to enable engaging storytelling that it hopes will better resonate with a younger audience. Gamification, artificial intelligence and data will help guide the startup’s presentation and production.

Conflict

The Israeli occupation soldiers arrested two young Palestinian women in the occupied Jerusalem. The Palestinian Prisoners’ Affairs and Liberators Authority reported that the occupying forces had arrested the young woman, Yasmin Kherib, from the town of Al-Tur, when she was around the Damascus Gate area. The occupying forces also arrested Palestinian Samar al-Qaysi from the town of Beit Hanina, north of Jerusalem. Later, the occupying forces arrested a young man – who was not identified – from Wad Street in the Old City after they severely beat him.

The Israeli occupying forces arrested a Palestinian youth from the town of Al-Issawiyah, northeast of occupied Jerusalem. According to eyewitnesses, the young man was arrested by the occupying forces after being prosecuted and severely beaten while he was taken to a hospital for the necessary treatment. Additionally, in Bethlehem, a number of Palestinians were injured during confrontations with Israeli occupying forces in the village of Husan, where troops fired bullets and gas and sound bombs, causing a number of Palestinians to suffocate.

The Israeli occupation authorities announced the arrest of four students, all under 25 years old, from the occupied West Bank for allegedly planning operations for Hamas against occupation forces and settlers, according to a statement issued by the Shabak General Occupation Security Agency. The occupying authorities claimed that Hamas recruited the four young men through its activists in Turkey. The Shin Bet alleged that the investigations showed that one of the four young men was recruited by Hamas during his stay in Turkey. The Shin Bet also alleged that the others had expressed their agreement to join Hamas and conduct exercises in Gaza.

Development

The second phase of the “it’s on” initiative was launched in Kafr el-Sheikh governorate in Egypt, led by the Youth Lead Youth Group. This initiative looked to raise youth’s awareness of entrepreneurship through workshops on financial models.

The World Youth Forum organized an extensive two-day workshop to discuss mental health in the presence of Egyptian youth along with doctors, specialists, and various Egyptian and international institutions. This workshop comes under the new framework where a series of initiatives will be implemented in lieu of this year’s World Youth Forum that was canceled due to the economic challenges in Egypt. To that end, the workshop included sessions to raise awareness on mental health and how to deal with people with mental health challenges before delving into a discussion on the World Youth Forum’s mental health initiative.

The National Program for Security and Youth was launched in the Zarqa Youth Directorate in Jordan, with the participation of 200 young people from youth centers and civil society institutions. The program, launched in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and the Public Security Directorate, aims at raising the security awareness of young people, preventing them from the threat of crime, violence, drugs, as well as consolidating the principles of moderation, security, and peace, and responding to high royal directives on the need to empower young people and promote their positive participation in building society. The program emphasized the importance of young people’s role in achieving security in its comprehensive sense and in enhancing their role in serving the community through ensuring their capacity in assuming their national responsibility.

Education

The Egyptian Minister of Education responded to some queries about the criteria for the selection of school principals, referring to the President’s initiative to select 1,000 young teachers to receive a distinguished training program to become school principals. With regard to technical education schools, the Minister noted that applied technology schools are a bright spot in Egyptian education and an ideal model in graduating specialized technical cadres that meet the needs of the local and global labor market, stressing that the Ministry aims to expand these schools in cooperation with the private sector.

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MENARY Monitor – Edition 101

March 5, 2023

Politics and Political Engagement

The Egyptian Youth Social Democratic Union organized the first panel discussion on youth in the context of the national dialogue. The session covered several themes, including support for student federations and activities, political empowerment of young people, support for young entrepreneurs, support for young persons with disabilities, supporting youth centers and clubs, and raising awareness.

Economics and Entrepreneurship

The Al-Ghasak Society for Culture and Heritage, in Jordan, organized awareness raising workshops on the Jordanian labor law, titled “Labor Rights in the Private Sector“. President of Al-Ghasak Society, Manal Shalbayeh, said that these workshops are implemented within its programs on raising awareness among youth of the labor law, with emphasis on the right to safe and healthy work and the right to knowledge and information, so that both the workers and the employers become fully aware of their rights under the law.

As part of its ongoing development operations in Yemen, Silatech signed a new agreement with the European Union worth 10 million euros to expand its project “Supporting Youth Leadership and Financial Inclusion.” This project aims to promote the economic empowerment of Yemeni youth. The European Union Mission to Yemen (EULEX) indicated that the new 4-year project aims to provide income generating employment along with financial integration for more than 40 thousand young Yemenis. Silatech’s project will also work to finance youth projects and provide capacity-building services to young entrepreneurs. It is also worth noting that the second phase of the partnership will focus on the principles of a sustainable economy, financial inclusion, the provision of innovative services through digital solutions and women’s empowerment by supporting youth-led micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.

Conflict

The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced that a young man was killed after being shot by the Israeli army, who arrested him injured near Jericho, during a raid of Aqabat Jabr camp. In a statement, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society announced that 3 Palestinians, one of them in serious condition (later died), had been wounded by live bullets in confrontations outside of a house sieged by Israeli forces in the camp. Eyewitnesses said that the occupation forces stormed the camp and surrounded an apartment building, using a citizen and his child as a human shield during the operation. They added that the army had arrested one of the injured individuals during an attempt to resuscitate him by the Red Crescent crews, which was documented by video clips. The Palestinian Prisoner’s Club reported that the occupation forces had arrested 6 citizens in the camp, four brothers, one son, and a wounded young man, all of whom are former detainees.

A Palestinian boy was killed and another injured during confrontations with Israeli occupation forces in the town of Azoun, east of the West Bank city of Kalkiliya, while the occupation continues to blockade the town of Hawara. The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that the 15-year-old boy, Mohammed Salim, had been killed by a live bullet, while another was critically injured. Witnesses said that violent confrontations broke out with the Israeli occupying forces as they stormed the town’s eastern entrance, with occupation soldiers firing live shots at the young passersby. The killing of the Palestinian boy is in conjunction with the escalation in the town of Hawara following the Israeli Minister of Finance’s statement who called for the town to be burned and erased from existence.

Dr. Anne Speckhard, Director of the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism (ICSVE), published an article discussing how Daesh-affiliated women are sexually exploiting adolescent and teenage boys to impregnate them and spawn the next breed of fighters. Dr. Speckhard states that such exploitative practices are occurring in the various camps, which house over 10,000 foreign Daesh-affiliated women and children.

Development

The Emirati Ministry of Culture and Youth, in cooperation with the League of Arab States, invited Emirati youth to participate in the international competition “Arab Youth Excellence Award 2023” on artificial intelligence. The award looks to highlight the outstanding efforts of Arab youth, enhance their competitiveness of young people, and promote the culture of joint action on youth in relation to sustainable development in the region.

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The Sharqiyah Youth Directorate in Egypt continues its training efforts for 100 young men and women representing the various youth centers in the governorate, with emphasis on persons with disabilities. The training is carried out by specialized trainers to enhance the level of youth inclusion within society in addition to qualifying their talents.

Education

The Central Directorate of Parliament and Civil Education of the Ministry of Youth and Sports carried out an event under its political education plan for the month of March. The event was attended by youth from various youth centers along with students and members of Parliament. The session discussed national education as well as youth political development. Several key aspects were highlighted with the aim of raising awareness about political education.

Environment

The Technical Institute of Science and Technology in Alexandria held an educational awareness raising seminar on environmental preservation and climate change, attended by a number of students. In his speech, Engineer Mahmoud Mehran, Dean of the Technical Institute for Science and Technology, discussed the use of scientific methods to bury tailings, dispose of human residues, and use them as fuel containing hydrogen carbon. He also spoke about the need to take precautions to conserve water and prevent its contamination, and not to dump oils and lubricants into the water and sewage networks.

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MENARY Monitor – Edition 100

February 26, 2023

Politics and Political Engagement

Foreign Policy published an article by Tharwa Bolifi indicating that Tunisian youth had lost faith in President Kais Saied, as socioeconomic conditions deteriorated since his July 2021 decrees. Bolifi explains that Saied had been widely criticized for his mismanagement of the migration crisis, which had increased over the past few years. For example, over 15,395 Tunisians – including 2,000 minors – had arrived in Italy illegally in 2022, according to figures from the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights. The report also referred to Tunisia’s economic crisis, which caused the loss of many essential items under the reign of Saied, as well as the shortage of medicine in the country.

As part of a series of panel discussions on the political process and dialogue with pro-democracy groups in Sudan, Taiba Press Center held a panel discussion that brought together the leaders of freedom, change, and youth groups. The Political Secretary of the Sudan Liberation Movement – the Transitional Council, Mohamed Kass, said that had it not be for youth and women, there would not have been a “Glorious December Revolution”. Young people and women have pioneering roles in developed societies, contrary to the situation in developing countries where there is a failure to utilize the potential of young people and women’s role in political life. Kass concluded that in order to fully activate the role of women and youth, a fully civilian authority is a necessity.

The Jordanian Senate President, Faisal Al-Fayez, said that King Abdullah II gives great importance to Jordanian youth, believing in their ability to bring about positive change to overcome the challenges facing the country. Al-Fayez added that the Jordanian state looks to activate the role of youth and empower them, through the state’s “comprehensive modernization” efforts. He clarified that such a vision requires empowering youth, supporting them, and providing them with the tools to fulfil their role, build their abilities, and refine their talents to enable them to bring about the required change in their economic and livelihood reality and to expand their participation in public life.

The Jordanian Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs, Wajih Azayza, emphasized the need to promote youth and women’s participation in political and party life with a strong and fortified ground. This came during his meeting with a number of young men and women representing the “Parliamentary Fellowship” program, implemented by the King Abdullah II Fund for Development. Azayza added that the success of political modernization requires societal interaction with the tenets of the vision, noting that sound political construction leads to the development of the right legislation that would remove society’s fears of engaging in political and party action.

The Jordanian National Women’s Committees Caucus organized a session entitled “the role of youth and women in political and economic development“, which emphasized the need to empower women and youth and provide them with a real opportunity to participate in political life and party work and to expand their participation in decision-making. The session came in line with Jordan’s political and economic reform efforts, which place a great deal of importance on the empowerment of youth and women.

Economics and Entrepreneurship

The Jobseeking Club was launched in Jordan in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), with the participation of 20 young men and women. The club will run for 13 days, during which young participants will receive training aimed at raising their abilities for future jobs, including self-marketing, job search, job interviews, green jobs, and CV writing.

INJAZ concluded the implementation of the semifinal competition of the Business Challenge Program, as part of “Resilient Youth, Socially and Economically (RYSE)” project in Jordan. The program gives students the opportunity to exercise practical experiences, to learn about the most important terms and concepts related to entrepreneurship and business ethics. The Business Challenge Program focuses on entrepreneurship and interactive business administration among 9th and 10th grade public school students. The program includes specialized training in project management and team building. It is worth noting that the semifinal competition saw the participation of more than 6,700 students from 97 schools, representing 1,252 teams, as only 12 teams qualified for the final competition.

The Youth Empowerment Department of North Sinai Youth and Sports Directorate, in Egypt, concluded the implementation of the craft training courses under the slogan “Teach Me a Craft”, which was held at the Alsalam Persons with Disabilities Youth Center. The training initiative has aimed to develop youth’s capacities, particularly those with disabilities, in handicrafts to equip them for the labor market as well as entrepreneurship.

Conflict

In the north of Gaza, Palestinian youth lit large numbers of tires in the face of an Israeli security barrier in an expression of outrage over the Nablus massacre that took place last week, which killed 11 Palestinians and 102 were wounded, 7 of whom are in critical conditions. Youth in Gaza stated that they do not belong to any faction, instead, they feel the unity toward their Palestinian brothers and sisters all around Palestinian cities, towns, and the occupied territories – whether in the West Bank, Gaza, or elsewhere.

Thousands of young Sudanese still seem to insist on illegal emigration to European countries through the Sahara and the Mediterranean, ignoring the tales of death and terror surrounding the journey. Hundreds lost their lives in the waves of the Mediterranean, with a recent incident involved the drowning of 95 illegal migrants, most of whom were young Sudanese. Many of those who intend to make this journey are young people, knowing its difficulties and dangers, yet they insist on risking their lives for a glimmer of hope for a better future.

Development

The training workshops for the “Natasharak” program continue in the Bir al-Abd Youth Centre in North Sinai – Egypt, as part of the third phase of the program for community initiatives, organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports in 12 governorates. The program includes the implementation of 18 training workshops, four days each, over the course of one month. The workshops aim to train youth on skills necessary to equip them to become able to contribute to the implementation of community initiatives whose main focus is on the empowerment of girls, community consensus, citizenship, peaceful coexistence and non-violence, post-COP 27, renewable energy, green projects, environment, and health.

Education

The 8th International Research Youth Conference concluded its activities at the Sohaj University in Egypt, with the participation of 318 young researchers from 36 Egyptian, Arab, and African universities. The conference featured 176 posters and 15 speakers from Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Yemen, Sudan, UK, and Nigeria. The conference concluded its events with several recommendations related to scientific research, which included guiding scientific research and its outputs to solve the problems of the surrounding community in various fields; guiding researchers to address nanoscience research and associated techniques to consolidate and promote the culture of innovation; and encouraging researchers to publish scientific publications.

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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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