The ILO on Monday, July 15 convened Southern Mediterranean stakeholders for the online launching event of the EU-funded regional Youth NEET program in the Southern Mediterranean region (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territory and Tunisia), it said.
The new initiative is aimed at supporting young NEETs by making public policies and services more responsive to their needs.
The NEET rate, indicating youth not in education, employment, or training, poses individual and societal challenges, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA region) where it exceeds, at 29%, the global average of 23%, and is significantly above the 12% of OECD countries.
Individuals face health risks, social exclusion, and poor job prospects, while societies experience stunted economic growth and entrenched poverty cycles.
These figures highlight the urgent need for targeted policies to address youth unemployment and improve labor force participation, especially among young women in the region.
The three-year EU-funded regional initiative implemented by the ILO will support Southern Mediterranean partners in promoting policies and services responsive to the needs of young NEETs.
The program will be informed by existing policies and programs, and will draw inspiration notably from the European Youth Guarantee’s and its application in the Western Balkans, according to the same source.
It will support the design and piloting of innovative interventions to reach, activate and support young NEETs’ transitioning to decent work and decent living conditions in the region.
The online launching event brought together European Commission representatives including EU Delegations, government officials from the Southern Mediterranean region, workers’ and employers’ organizations, the ILO regional and country teams, the European Training Foundation, and the Union for the Mediterranean Secretariat.
The event fostered regional exchanges of experiences and best practices among stakeholders.
It contributed to a shared understanding of the situation of young NEETs and raised awareness about the approach proposed by the new regional program.
