Arab Youth Failure Stats In Formal Education

One in four Arab youth aged 15 to 24 who are looking to work faces the frustration and disappointment of not being able to find a job. This is twice the global average. Among young female job-seekers, the situation is even more alarming, with one in three finding naught for their efforts.

The region’s labour force participation rates are among the lowest globally, currently standing at around 35% compared to the global average of 52%. This is a function of both low female participation and youth frustration with job prospects.

An aspiration of bringing the Arab region to global average labour participation levels would require more than 85 million jobs over the next 10 years, which is equal to the total population of Egypt today. Moreover, the economic loss of youth unemployment is estimated to cost US$40 billion to US$50 billion annually – equivalent to the gross domestic product of countries such as Tunisia or Lebanon.