Politics – Page 3

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 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 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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