{"id":7912,"date":"2026-08-13T17:03:37","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T14:03:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/achrs.org\/english\/?p=7912"},"modified":"2026-08-13T17:03:37","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T14:03:37","slug":"achrs-statement-on-the-international-youth-day-august-12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/achrs.org\/english\/2026\/08\/13\/achrs-statement-on-the-international-youth-day-august-12\/","title":{"rendered":"ACHRS statement on the International Youth Day – August 12"},"content":{"rendered":"

To read as PDF, click here<\/a><\/p>\n

En<\/strong><\/span>:<\/p>\n

For French see below.<\/p>\n

The Amman Center for Human Rights Studies (ACHRS)<\/strong> joins the international community in commemorating International Youth Day<\/strong>.\u00a0 Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1999, this day serves as an opportunity to celebrate the power, creativity, and leadership of young people around the world. However, celebrating young people means more than recognizing their potential; it means ensuring that they have the rights, opportunities and voice needed to turn that potential into change.<\/p>\n

With a median age of 22<\/a>, the Arab world is one of the youngest regions in the world. An estimated 60% of its population<\/a> is under the age of 30. This generation represents a powerful force for change. Yet much of that potential remains untapped. Lack of access to higher education<\/strong>, high unemployment rates<\/strong>, and little opportunity for political participation<\/strong> are just some of the obstacles faced by young people in the region. This International Youth Day, ACHRS calls on Arab states to invest in young people, recognising that investing in them means investing in the region\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

Higher education<\/strong> enrollment in the Arab world stands at approximately 16 million students<\/a>, representing a gross enrollment ratio of roughly 37%<\/a>. Although five points lower than the global average, this figure represents an improvement compared to previous years. Indeed, demand for higher education across the Arab world is high. While a positive development, this increased demand also brings significant challenges. Limited funding and a shortage of qualified teachers mean that Arab universities have an average student-to-faculty ratio of 1:36<\/a>, compared to 1:25 globally<\/a>. As a result, drop out rates stand at 11.5%<\/a>, outpacing the global average of 8.9%<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Youth unemployment<\/strong> is another pressing concern. At an estimated 26.2%<\/a>, the region has the highest youth unemployment rate in the world. As a result, 85% of employed young people<\/a> in the Arab world work in the informal sector. Beyond slow job creation, this reflects a fundamental mismatch between the skills young people acquire and those demanded by the private sector. Education systems have struggled to keep pace with the changing labour market, contributing to growing \u2018job queues\u2019 for public sector employment.<\/p>\n

Contributing to the persistence of these challenges is the limited participation of young people<\/strong> in political processes. On average, just 16% of parliamentary seats<\/a> across Arab states are held by people under 40. Youth participation more broadly remains low: only68.3% of young people vote<\/a>, compared with a global average of 87.4%<\/a> for middle-income nations. This points to a wider sense of disillusionment, reflected in the fact that just 10%<\/a> of young people in the region participate in formal civil society groups.<\/p>\n

On this International Youth Day, ACHRS calls on states in the region to address these issues by:<\/p>\n