Arab Youth: On the Path to a Revolution?

In an interesting piece in The Huffington Post, Daoud Kuttab analyzes the situation of the youth in Arab countries, in light of a recent meeting of civil society leaders from Lebanon, Egypt, Yemen, Palestine (both West Bank and Gaza), and Jordan, under the umbrella of “Naseej,” a five-year community development initiative launched by Save the Children in 2005 with funding from the Ford Foundation. The Naseej project seeks to engage young people, “who account for 60 per cent of the region’s population,” as “active agents in their own development and that of their communities.” The program uses an innovative concept of “by and for the youth” that Kuttab reports has “proved to be more effective than major multimillion dollar fancy projects.” With the project nearing the end of its funding mandate, Hania Aswad, its director, hopes to turn Naseej into a permanent institution.

Kuttab notes that Arab youth leaders expressed some concerns at the event, including restrictions placed on youth NGOs by Arab governments; the portrayal of youth organizations that receive foreign funding as Western “puppets”; and long-term sustainability and structure issues for youth civil society. Nevertheless, Kuttab commends Naseej for its relative success, arguing that such initiatives could eventually lead to a ground-up youth mobilization across the Arab world: “The energy of today’s young Arab leaders has certainly not reached the critical mass that is required for major change and reform. But it is clear that in a few years, if the present direction continues, with the current passion and commitment, we will witness such a critical mass whose impact will surely be felt throughout the region.”