Youth in Arab states less confident that the Arab Spring will lead to positive changes

The Arab Spring is loosing its political appeal to the youth of Arab states. In 2013, 74% of youth thought they would be better off due to the Arab Spring, but this dropped to 58% in 2014 (Philosophy Age, Issue 05, May-July 2014).

The Arab Youth Survey published in April 2014, in which researchers surveyed 3,500 youth aged 18-24 years in 16 Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries found a decline in youth’s confidence in the Arab Spring to make a difference in their lives. And the number of youth citing civil unrest as the biggest obstacle facing the Middle East rose from 44% in 2012 to 55% in 2014. Their responses to the biggest obstacle in the region were: civil unrest (55%), lack of democracy (38%), threat of terrorism (30%), and lack of strong leadership (30%). Of the respondents this year, 54% of youth believed that the Arab Spring (the civil unrest that toppled leaders in Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia) would lead to positive changes, which is a decline from 70% in 2013.

Instead of civil unrest, youth are turning to job seeking. But just 43% of youth in Arab states preferred government jobs in 2014, which is a decline from 64% in 2012. Instead, youth are seeking jobs in the private sector. Therefore 57% of youth in Arab states are looking for jobs in the private sector, or will start their own businesses instead of joining the government workforce.

Comments

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. ...

The acacia thorn trees of Kenya

There are nearly 800 species of acacia trees in the world, and most don’t have thorns. The famous "whistling thorn tree" and the Umbrella Thorn tree of Kenya are species of acacia that do have thorns, or spines. Giraffes and other herbivores normally eat thorny acacia foliage, but leave the whistling thorn alone. Usually spines are no deterrent to giraffes. Their long tongues are adapted to strip the leaves from the branches despite the thorns. The thorny acacia like dry and hot conditions. The thorns typically occur in pairs and are 5-8 centimetres (2-3 inches) long. Spines can be straight or curved depending on the species. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Suda...

Shindi: the Georgian Cornelian cherry

The Cornelian cherry – shindi in Georgian – is a fruit with medicinal and decorative properties. It was grown from ancient times, according to the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS). It is also commonly called the European cornel. It is native to southern Europe from France to Ukraine as well as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, and Syria. The Cornelian cherry tree ( Cornus mas ) can be grown in orchards, but it is often seen in the forests of Georgia where it grows up to 1,350 metres above sea level. It is a medium to large deciduous tree, growing from 5-12 metres tall. The flowers are small with four yellow petals in clusters, which flower in February and March. The Cornus mas has three botanical varieties: (1) var. typica Sanadze with cylindrical red fruits, (2) var. pyriformis Sanadze with pear-shaped red fruits, and (3) var. flava vest with yellow fruits. The fruits are oblong red drupes about 2 centimetres ...

FEAST OR FAMINE

Search This Blog