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We will conclude this discussion by referring to the most important social policies,
programs and regional and international cooperation that must be implemented to alle-
viate the crisis and activate the role of youth in the region.
Middle Eastern Society and the Crisis of Youth Bulge
Middle Eastern and North African countries have reached the peak in the case of youth
bulge. In these regions, the age group between 10-24 years reached to 29 percent, and
this create challenges at work, health and education opportunities (UN IATTTYP, 2016).
On this basis, the Middle East region is one of the most important regions that should
be studied in terms of the youth and it is necessary to develop appropriate solutions.
There is a bulge in youth and an instability in the political, economic and social situation
at the same time. Hence, we can describe the youth in the Middle East as ticking time
bomb, so to speak. Perhaps the ongoing wars and conflicts in the Middle East and
the involvement of youth in it favours this metaphor. Unemployment, poverty and poor
educational institution and racial discrimination on the basis of party affiliation or race,
as well as on the basis of gender and the marginalization of young people to participate
in the political life are the most important features that characterized the previous stage
of conflicts and wars or revolutions of the Arab Spring as commonly known. In general,
arguably the youth bulge in the Middle East and North Africa region is mainly noted
for lack of appropriate infrastructure, inflation and lack of social policies meant for the
youngsters who are the main players in all political, social and economic front.
The bulge young people is one of the negative aspects that led to the worsening of eco-
nomic and social crisis in the Middle East. This problem puts a lot of new strains on the
economy and consequently on social services, housing, health, employment and many
of the opportunities necessary for a good life. In addition to the other factors, this led
to radicalization and instability within the society (Fuller, 2004).Young people, whether
male or female in the Middle East and North Africa face the highest level of unemploy-
ment compared to the rest of the world. At the same time, these young people do not
trust their government in providing the youth with employment opportunities. Thus, the
region’s young people are suffering from a real crisis on the level of political, economic
and social life. This is represented in a lack of quality in education and appropriate
work and health care at reasonable prices (OECD, 2015). Inequality exists at all levels.
For example, while ensuring primary education in the Middle East and North Africa,
access to higher quality education, gender balance means for livelihood are woefully
inadequate. In addition to social amenities hindrances, youngsters are frustrated by
lack of access to different youth groups and educational opportunities. These lead to
frustration and creation of a kind of tension between them (Nelson et al, 2015). Youth
bulge with inequality and lack of social policies are the cause of lack of basic rights and
contributes greatly to ongoing conflict.
