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Almost a third of the population of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is aged 15-29.^[1][2] This cohort amounts to almost 111 million people.^[3] Use of the internet and social media is widespread among youth in the MENA region.^[1][2] Lack of employment is a significant challenge for Arab youth.^[3][4][5] Younger generations are generally less religious than older generations,^[2] though young Arabs interact with religious and social norms in a variety of ways.^[6]

Between 99% and 77% of youth in Arab countries (depending on the country) use the internet.^[2] Internet usage is higher among youth than among older cohorts.^[1][2] Large disparities exist between men and women and between people in urban and rural areas. In 2023, 74% of Arab men used the internet, compared to 64% of Arab women. In 2023, 82% of people in urban areas used the internet, compared to 51% of those in rural areas.^[1]

Social media use in the Arab world is very common among those who use the internet. Social media use is slightly more common among younger people than older people. Majorities of youth in many Arab countries use social media as a primary news source. Older people much less commonly rely on social media for news. In many Arab countries, majorities of young people view social media as a more reliable news source than televised or printed news. Older people have lesser trust in social media. Facebook is the most commonly used social media platform in the Arab region, although WhatsApp is more popular than Facebook in Yemen.^[2]

Social media influencers from the UAE help create an image of the nation as an attractive destination for immigrants. Some second-generation immigrant influencers use humor to create a sense of belonging among children of immigrants in the UAE.^[7]

Many tech companies have been started by young people from the Middle East. A Libyan student, Sokaina Kashbour, developed Wejha, a skill-sharing app. Other apps include the Syrian online marketplace app Damazzle, created by Naya Al Nablusi, and EduBolt, a Lebanese platform connecting students and tutors. Another Syrian app, Aqqemha, distributes protective equipment and information related to the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters, and connects people with healthcare. Pestipilot AI, a UAE-based agricultural drone and analytics software, aims to help farmers use pesticides more effectively. Saudi Arabian startup The Gamified AI Recycling Bin creates a reward system encouraging environmentally-minded waste sorting. Turkish platform Green Finance Navigator is a digital aid for environmental finance and project funding.^[1]

The youth unemployment rate in the MENA region has been the highest in the world for decades, hovering at around 30%.^[4][5] The unemployment rate for young women is much higher than that of young men.^[5] Across the region, youth are widely dissatisfied with their governments' efforts to create employment opportunity.^[2]

In a 2019 survey, large percentages of Arab youth said that either unemployment, slow economic growth, or the rising cost of living were the most important issue facing the region.^[4] Another survey indicates that large majorities of youth believe that employment through wasta connections is common.^[2]

Many youth seek high-quality public sector jobs, despite high competition for these positions. Young people face difficulty obtaining jobs in the formal private sector, often instead pursuing informal private jobs or self-employment.^[5] Many youth migrate to pursue employment, either to other MENA countries (especially Gulf countries) or to countries outside the region.^[3][5]

Many Arab countries practice the Kafala system, which contractually ties foreign workers to patron citizens or businesses. Migrant workers may be from other MENA countries, or from elsewhere in Asia or Africa. In Lebanon, many young women from outside the Arab region work as domestic servants. They frequently endure racial discrimination and human rights abuses.^[8]

Difficulty finding good jobs, along with an increasing focus on education, causes young people to delay marriage^[3][9] and to live with their families for longer than before.^[9] Lack of quality jobs makes paying dowries and affording housing more challenging for young people.^[3]

A large majority of MENA youth believe that religion has more influence than it should in their region. Nearly 8 in 10 support reform for religious institutions.^[4] Majorities of young Arabs say they are not religious, but in some Arab countries, youth religiosity is increasing. Overall, younger people are less religious than older people.^[2]

Young people have access to many sources of religious and moral teaching, which may not always agree with one another. Norms regarding socially desirable behavior may conflict with religious doctrine. For instance, young Shi'i Muslims in Lebanon widely consider drinking alcohol forbidden, but they disagree over whether one may go to pubs to spend time with friends who do drink alcohol, or whether, when hosting guests, one may take guests to cafés that serve alcohol.^[6] Religious or social norms may forbid some kinds of music, but young people may listen to such music anyway.^[6][9] They may also choose to avoid all music, only avoid music with immoral themes, or ignore music without avoiding it.^[6]