iraqi youth and arab spring

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Iraqi Youth and Arab

Spring

Towards Integrating Youth Issues in the NHDR- Iraq

Message number zeroBefore I start

Business as usual,,,,,, youth are absent

UN Contribution at Global Level

1985 : 1st International Youth YearInternational Youth Day : 12th August

1994 : Int. Conf. Pop. & Development (Cairo)

“6.13 Countries should aim to meet needs & aspirations of youth, particularly in areas of formal & non formal education, training, employment opportunities, housing & health, thereby ensuring their integration & participation in all spheres of society, including political process & leadership roles”

ICPD Programme of Action 1994

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UN Contribution at Global Level

1998 : International Youth Conference, Lisbon“ A Society that cuts itself from its youth severs its lifetime. It is

condemned to bleed to death “ Kofi Annan, Secretary general

2000 : “World Programme of Action for Youth” : Covering 15 Priority areas

“Education, Employment, Hunger/Poverty, Health, Environment, Drug abuse, Juvenile delinquency, Leisure, Girls & young women, Participation, Globalization, ICT, HIV/AIDS, Youth and conflict, Intergenerational relations”

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UN Contribution at Global Level 2010 : International Youth Year

“ Dialogue & Mutual Understanding ”

2011 : “High Level Meeting of G.A. on Youth” “ Failing to invest in our Youth is a False Economy. …… When

Youth lack opportunity, they are more easily led to crime and violence, to drugs and risky sex, and the slippery slope to the bottom of social scale……” S.G. Ban Ki-Moon

Participants: - 4 Heads of States - 40 Youth Ministers - Several Heads of UN agencies

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Outcomes of 2011 HLM on Youth

Unemployment: Youth are most Dynamic & Innovative segments of populationYouth are Key Human Resource & Demographic Bonus

Youth Participation:Youth Engagement is easier at Local level than at State LevelRole of Youth-led associations to develop a “ Critical Space”

for Democracy & Peace at Grass root levelAdolescent Girls & Young Women : Gender stereotypes that

perpetuate discrimination 6

Arab Spring Youth & Reshaping History

Arab Spring : 11 months of Youth movements

“ Great Revolutions cannot be made. ….

They erupt, like Volcanoes, a top of mounting force of huge and long suppressed social & political contradictions”.

Mustafa Barghouti, Al-Ahram news

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Youth – led Arab Spring : Underlying causes Failure of Developmental Programmes “System of Governance” at odds with Democratic

Transformation Weak mechanisms for “Civic participation” and

“Political Representation” Unfulfilled universal “ Aspiration” for “Freedom” High Unemployment among educated youth Conflicts and Emergencies Conflict between “Traditionalism” & “Modernism”

9Iraq UNCT Retreat - November 2011

Arab Spring: Youth Tidal WaveFrom Tunis ……..

- Demographic transition : Large Youth population- “Dignity” Revolution : Personal & national degradation- Loss of Fear : challenging concept of “Power”

…….. To Egypt ……….. - Urban, Middle-Class youth ignited the uprising flame- Escaping conservative environment- With ability to express desire & win support of majority- Participate in building new & Oppression-free Society

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Arab Spring : Factors of Change

- Breaking the Silence : - Youth no Longer afraid

- Actors of Change: - Youth taking charge of their present & Shaping their Future

- Demanding Political Reform :- Youth putting pressure on political structures to change

- Protecting their Nation :- Youth preserving national Treasures & Institutions

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Iraqi Youth Human Rights

and ChallengesIraqi Youth in Figures

(National Youth Survey)

العراق في العمرية الفئات حسب السكان 2006توزيع

*" فتيا مجتمعا" مازال العراق

على مقبل العراقي المجتمعالديمغرافية الهبة

على مقبل العراقي المجتمعالديمغرافية الهبة

Youth & Education (15 – 30 yrs)

5yrs or less : 29%6th grade (Certificate) 33%9th grade 20%12th grade 10%

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Investing In Youth

1ry Education 2ry EducationStudents 4,151,000 1,492,000Schools 12,141 4,109

62 % has 6th Grade or Less !!82 % has 9th Grade or less !!

What Employment opportunities ??

Youth & Education (15 – 30 yrs)

Youth who Reads 10 – 14 yrs 14 % 15 – 24 yrs 23 % 25 – 30 yrs 26 %

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Cause of Drop Out10-14yrs 15-24yrs

Youth Unwilling to continue 36% 30%Parents refusal 22% 15%

Financial reasons 12% 17%

Value of Education

Youth & Work

Working Youth Male female- 10 - 14yrs: 6.5 % 9 % 3%- 15 - 24yrs: 24 % 39 % 6%- 25 – 30yrs: 46 % 76 % 14%

-Support “Early Employment” :- 10 - 14yrs: 49 %- 15 - 24yrs: 32 %- 25 – 30yrs: 46 %

-Youth who want to migrate 16 %

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Gender Disparity

Youth Participation- Participate in Social activities:

- 10 - 14yrs: 23%- 15 - 24yrs: 28%- 25 – 30yrs: 30%

- Chance to discuss their opinion:- 10 - 14yrs: 4%- 15 - 24yrs: 6%- 25 – 30yrs: 8%

- Participation in election (above 18yrs)- Male 76 % female 64 %

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Low Social Participation

Youth & Gender Equity

Male Female-Women’s right to work: 51 % 93 %

-Women need approvalof caretaker to work: 92 % 92 %

-Husband can beat his Wife 50 % 26 %

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Youth mental Health- Sense of happiness / Optimistism:

- 10 - 14yrs: 73 % Male : 55%- 15 - 24yrs: 53 % Female: 62 %- 25 – 30yrs: 51 %

- Sense of Security:- 10 - 14yrs: 67 %- 15 - 24yrs: 59 %- 25 – 30yrs: 55 %

- Support “Use of force” to solve problems:- 10 - 14yrs: 28 %- 15 - 24yrs: 37 %- 25 – 30yrs: 41 %

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Growing Unhappy, unsecure & Violent

Iraq UNCT Retreat - November 2011

Youth & Health

Male Female- Smoking 71 % 31 %- Alcohol 14 % 1.5 %- Practice Sports 22 % 2.0 %

- Attitude to PLWHA YES No- Should be isolated 84 % 16%- Share on meal 10% 90%- Shake hands 17% 83%

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Government and UN response

to youth Aspirations

Priorities

Youth

Water

Government EffortsSeveral stand-alone sectoral initiatives & programmes :Lack of intersectoral coordination or linkageSome initiatives are targeted to youth, majority are for all population groups, including youthFew are Gender-sensitive : Young women benefits?? Government has no clear vision for Iraqi Youth

Classical approach : “What the Nation wants for Youth?”

Ministry of Youth & Sport: some coordination capacity, more focus on Sport/Culture

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UN Efforts Some Youth-targeted projects Youth included in several programmes, but not specifically

targeting them; - Girls & Young Women concerns & Vulnerabilities ??

Few UN joint programme with some inter-linkage Some quick impact /short span initiatives Limited involvement of Youth (Design/implement/ evaluate) No Coordination structure:

…… “Youth” is “ Cross Cutting issues” !!! UNDAF (2011-14) : Women & Youth at Outcome 5

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Investing in Youth

As Community Assets /Agents for Change

a Human Rights approach

…….. HR ( Freedom, Dignity, Equity )Political Rights:

Freedom of expression & right to be listened, Consulted in Decision Making

Economic Rights : Equal chance for employment and decent work Livelihoods & Employability

Social Rights: Health, Education, ….. but also Self-Development (self-esteem, empowerment, ……) Social participation / Entrepreneurship Gender Equity / combating Gender Based Violence

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What do Youth want ?

Multi-dimensional : Addressing ALL rights (Civic, Social & Economic)

Comprehensive : Different levels of interventions (Skills, Participation & Services)

Simultaneously & Interlinked implementation: In Time & Place with Referral mechanism between interventions

Youth Active Involvement: “With Youth TO Youth”

Addressing Young Girls’ Exclusion & Vulnerability

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Programming Principles

Iraq UNCT Retreat - November 2011

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Education & Skills

Comprehensive & Interlinked

National Youth Policy

Adequate Data

Interlinked Gender-sensitive

Youth Focused

Empowerment & Participation

Services & Counseling

Enabling Environment

Ideas for HR-Based Multisectoral Youth Programming and reporting

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Political Rights Social Rights Economic Rights

Educate (Skills)

Life skills on Civic Values

Life Skills on Health & Social Values

(incl. Gender Equity & Girls Empowerment)

Market – oriented Vocational skills

Employability Life Skills

Empower (participation mechanisms)

Youth participation mechanisms

Youth participation opportunities

(Social Entrepreneurship) (Youth Associations)

Information on opportunities (Employment,

Grants, Credits, Internships, and

apprenticeships , …..)

Serve (Services & Counseling)

Youth-led Associations Youth Friendly Health services

Career /Business Counseling

Youth / Students led School clubs & centers

Psycho-social Counseling Credit Counseling

Youth-to-Youth Counseling Credit / Grant Services

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How & What do UN need to deliver Comprehensive & interlinked Youth Programme ??

Gap is still exist between youth aspiration and governments deliveryHDR theme on youth is timely Need to address Youth reporting comprehensively, multi sectoral, integrated, muli-level, participatory interventionHR based approach is appropriate Thematic studies are still needed to prepare NHDRAddress vulnerable youth groups Writing up NHDR within its national-sub-national-regional- international context is recommendedYouth participation is NEEDED

Conclusion

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