Youth Unemployment in the Arab Nations

Youth Unemployment in the Arab Nations
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Youth Unemployment in the Arab Nations
Introduction
One of the significant problems in the Arab World is the high prevalence of unemployment among the youth. According to Mckee et al. (2017), youth unemployment was one of the major causes of the popular uprisings witnessed in several the Middle East and North African (MENA) countries in the early 2010s. Over the last two decades, the high number of increased unemployment rates in most Arab countries among youth people, especially college and university graduates, has been a factor that has resulted in frustrations. These frustrations were some of the factors that resulted in unemployed youth demonstrating in streets at the beginning of the 2010s decade leading to massive rebellions against several incumbent leadership regimes in countries such as Egypt, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen, among others (Mckee et al., 2017). In this regard, although youth unemployment was not the only cause of Arab uprisings, the exceptionally high rates of unemployed young men and women played a significant role in their establishment and spread in several Arab countries.
Features of Youth Unemployment in the Arab Nations
The issue of youth unemployment in MENA countries has become highly critical due to its ever-increasing trends and magnitude. This is because it is an issue that has had adverse impacts on economic and social development as well as likely negative political destabilizing effects. It is without a doubt that youth unemployment was a driver for the Arab Uprisings, whose economic and political consequences are still felt today. The major characteristics of youth unemployment in the Arab World include: The rate of youth unemployment in Arab countries is the World's highest compared to other regions worldwide. Notably, the rate of unemployment in the region among persons aged between 15 and 24 is estimated to be about 30% compared to a world's average of 12% (Benner, 2020). In addition, the problem of youth unemployment in Arab nations is enormous since they comprise about 20% of the total population. In 2010, the number of youth people in the region was estimated to be 46 million, and it was projected that it would have grown to 58 million by 2025 (International Labour Office, 2015). Another feature is that youth unemployment is also rampant among educated young people. Although education is termed as an approach to enhance human capital in MENA countries, most young graduates also find it challenging to find jobs. For example, by 2016, the number of unemployed colleges and university graduates in Egypt was estimated to be 33% (Benner, 2020). The continued decrease in demand for foreign labor in Gulf countries has resulted in less demand for labor by youth from poor Arab nations. Another feature of the problem is that most educated young people in Arab countries do not find jobs that suit their levels of education. Although youth unemployment is also an issue in several European nations such as Spain and Italy, the trends being witnessed in most Arab countries are worrying and need to be addressed before they reach dangerous heights.
Current Trends and Causes of Youth Unemployment in the Arab Nations
Current trends of youth unemployment in Arab Nations can be termed as having several features. First and foremost, the rate of unemployment among young people is a challenge that has escalated globally. In 1997, the global rate of young people in the labor force was about 55% compared to 45% in 2017 (Benner, 2020). However, in 2017, Arab countries had the lowest number of young people in the labor force, as they comprised only 30.6% (Benner, 2020). Additionally, in recent decades, most regions have experienced a decrease in the employment gaps between men and women. However, since 1997, the unemployment gap between men and women in Arab countries has continuously remained high (International Labour Office, 2015). Furthermore, young people continue to comprise the highest number among the unemployed. Like in most parts of the World, young people in Arab countries are less likely to find jobs compared to the older population (Benner, 2020). According to a 2017 report International Labour Organization (ILO), the problem of global youth unemployment is usually highest in the MENA countries (Benner, 2020). Therefore, there are various current and future trends that define youth unemployment in Arab countries.
Interpreting the Challenge of Youth Unemployment in Arab Countries
It is essential to analyze the concept of gaps that exist in relation to job demand and supply in Arab countries. It is important to note that although several similar features characterize the challenge, the concept of youth unemployment tends to vary from one Arab country to another. According to Mckee et al. (2017), the challenge of youth unemployment in most Arab countries can be attributed to three main factors, which include: challenges in the supply-side, problems with the demand for jobs, and defective labor market policies.
Labor Demand. One of the causes of unemployment among young people is that most Arab economies do not generate adequate work opportunities that can be equivalent to the demand for jobs among unemployed youths. On the other hand, the economies do not generate quality/decent job opportunities that can match the expectations of educated young people. In most cases, the ability of an economy to generate jobs is determined by its growth rates and the growth's labor intensity. Notably, these are concepts that depend on a country's domestic investments and the flow of foreign investments. In essence, most Arab countries lack adequate resources to promote domestic developments, and their flows of foreign investments are usually relatively lower compared to other developing nations (Avina & Russell, 2016). More so, the flows of foreign investments to Arab countries are highly affected by security issues (terrorism and civil wars), post-Arab Uprisings effects, and political instability. As a result, a huge chunk of governments' expenditure is used in enhancing security and seeking stability (Avina & Russell, 2016). More so, such tensions tend to discourage private sectors or private firms from making investments in those countries (Avina & Russell, 2016). This leads to decreased domestic economic output, which subsequently contributes to the high number of unemployed persons.
Labor supply. Another reason for the ever-increasing high prevalence of youth unemployment in Arab nations is the large number of youth people entering the labor market. Although the situation is not common in all the countries, most Arab nations are experiencing a youth bulge, whereby the number of young people reaching the working age is significantly high. According to McKee et al. (2017), a youth bulge can be an economic advantage if well used but can be a major challenge for nations that fail to provide these sufficient jobs in terms of numbers and quality. In essence, the latter characterizes the current situation in the Arab World.
Since the mid-20th Century, the Arab nations have continued to experience a significant youth bulge. In the Middle East and North Africa, the peak of the youth bulge was in the 1990s and 1970s, respectively (McKee et al., 2017). Besides, Mckee et al. (2017) assert that the overall high number of young people in the region is likely to remain the same for the foreseeable f...