To Tackle Youth Unemployment In The MENA Region, Harnessing Green Skills Is Key We invite business leaders to rethink their impact from short-term to long-term, and incorporate a regional youth-focused lens into their hiring practices.
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This article was co-written with Christian Vezjak, co-founder and CEO of Talent Acceleration Platform (TAP). Based the Netherlands, he is an advocate for women's empowerment, on a mission to inspire people to become impact makers.
The youth are an incredibly underutilized resource in the MENA region, representing over half of the population (55%), and facing significant challenges in accessing the workforce.
To put things into perspective, the youth represent 36% of the population across countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). According to an International Labor Organization (ILO) estimate in 2023, the youth unemployment rate in the MENA peaked at 26.87%, and it is even worse for young women, with an unemployment rate of 42.5% in 2022—more than double that of young men.
The situation is especially dire in the least developed Arab states that are affected by conflicts. In Palestine, for example, amid the horrific war in Gaza, youth unemployment reaches 40% in the West Bank and 62% in Gaza, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
This critical situation calls for urgent and innovative solutions. Among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defined by the United Nations in 2015, SDG 8 aims to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. One of its targets is to substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education, or training by 2030.
However, the MENA region lags significantly behind, with 18 Arab countries facing major to significant challenges, according to the 2023/2024 Arab Region SDG Index and Dashboards Report. Clearly, we need to rethink how to achieve these goals and their subsequent targets. While the SDGs provide a clear blueprint for nations, we must not tackle them as individual goals to be reached one by one; instead, we should recognize and leverage the synergies they provide.
Sustainable development cannot be achieved without balancing social, environmental, and economic goals. It is essential to address these intertwined issues holistically. Transitioning to a net zero future offers tremendous opportunities for our region, benefiting both economies and societies. These opportunities involve leveraging human and social capital to drive the green revolution inclusively and fairly.
Essentially, we need people with "green" skills and a market-ready workforce to support the green transformation of our economies. Green skills are a major driver for advancing the region; yet, we currently lack them. This is the moment to seize these opportunities, and ensure that no one is left behind.
Related: Converging Ecosystems: Building Sustainable Businesses That Do Well (And Do Good)
The youth can make a significant difference in this regard. Now is the time to equip them with the skills and capabilities necessary to support this transition—green skills, combined with digital and soft skills. We must target youth, women, and vulnerable groups in the Arab states, focusing on reskilling, upskilling, and fostering a lifelong learning mindset that will enable them to thrive now, and in the future. Everything is connected, and our success depends on our ability to spot synergies, and develop integrated solutions.
This is where impact entrepreneurship plays a major role, transforming the challenges in the Arab region into opportunities with practical solutions. Businesses can contribute significantly to solving big problems. We at MENA Impact have partnered with a fellow purpose-driven company, TAP, precisely to address this issue. MENA Impact, a UAE-based company, empowers organizations and individuals through sustainability programs, courses, and community building. Meanwhile, TAP, a Dutch-Palestinian social enterprise, empowers young professionals in Palestine and Jordan through remote work job opportunities. Combining sustainability expertise with a pool of talented young people eager to change their lives for the better made it natural for us to join forces.
TAP's Christian Vezjak with MENA Impact's Nadine Zidani.
Our partnership elevates our individual impact to new heights. The numbers tell the story. LinkedIn data shows a surge in green job postings; yet, there's a significant shortage of qualified candidates. Individuals with sustainability expertise are 29% more likely to land a job. By integrating these critical skills into TAP programs, we're not only boosting the employability of those young talents, but also contributing to the broader goal of sustainable development in the MENA region, building a pipeline of highly qualified candidates needed for the green transition.
We believe traditional institutions are reaching their limits, and the business community must step in. Businesses are a part of society, and they can be incredible drivers of change, making a true impact in the region. At MENA Impact and TAP, we have hired the talents we prepare for the workforce, and both of us have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of providing job opportunities to youth eager to thrive, without being forced to leave their homes—and we believe you can too.
We invite business leaders to rethink their impact from short-term to long-term, and incorporate a regional youth-focused lens into their hiring practices. Impact is not something external to your business; you have the opportunity to embed the SDGs concretely into your operations by hiring these talents, and embracing hybrid working models. You can also support our sustainability youth programs, helping us expand our reach, and build the green skills necessary for a just, equitable, and inclusive green transition in the Arab World.
For us at MENA Impact and TAP, our collaboration is more than just a strategic alliance; it's a testament to the power of partnerships in driving social impact. By working together, we are paving the way for a more sustainable future. We're excited to continue this journey, and witness the positive changes our combined efforts will bring to the Arab region.
Related: How GCC Countries Can Build A Talent Model For The Digital Age
