Q&A: What’s Standing in the Way of Good Jobs in the Arab World?

FEATURING
  • Steen Jorgensen
    Sector Director for Human Development, Middle East and North Africa Region
  • Yasser El-Gammal
    Social Protection and Labor Sector Manager for Human Development, Middle East and North Africa Region

September 17, 2012 – 9:30 AM ET (13:30 GMT or get your time)

While political transitions are underway across much of the Arab world, the struggle to find a decent job has not gotten any easier.

Large segments of the population continue to face a range of social and economic obstacles. These obstacles have contributed to the world’s highest rate of youth unemployment and the fewest women in the labor force. Overcoming them is one the region’s greatest challenges.

To address the “what,” “why,” and “how” of jobs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the World Bank hosted a live online Q&A with Steen Jorgensen, Director of MENA Human Development and Yasser El-Gammal, Manager of MENA Human Development. They invited you to a conversation on what you think is the most important aspect of the jobs situation in MENA, why is it so difficult, and how more jobs can be created for the many rather than the few.

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Read what others are asking
Why the performance of the youth is not meeting the demand needs of the job market?
Parveen Mehboob
Pakistan
Why are unemployment levels very high in the Arab world?
mary
Jordan
Will there be financial support for new educational programs to help the Egyptian Youth having a better chance to overcome unemployment?
Karin Vennewald
Egypt, Arab Rep.
How can younger generations choose between old traditions and the challange of the modern lifestyle including the employment of a woman in the Arab countries?
Anna Kele
Hungary
As we push for better education systems in the Arab and North Africa region we are seeing more qualified young people receiving excellent education.What is the Banks biggest priorities in terms of sustaining education within the reach, but also facing large gaps is high skilled jobs required?
Marco Gomes
Canada
To what degree is bureaucracy contributing to the stagnation of the job market?
How can small business and entrepreneurship be encouraged in countries where governments encourage monopoly, unfair competition and obscure business practices from top officials?
Amin Ait Wazzi
Morocco
what are the prospects for finance professional females in Arab contries?
Maham
Pakistan
to create jobs is not the purpose, it will be a result of many investment in the MENA region, because successful investments will gives jobs as a result, how to changes this mentality and what's your program in this region
nourani
Tunisia
What are the problems and prospects of Nepali Business graduate to work in Arab world since we, Nepali people are not getting job here in Nepal?
Gopal
Nepal
In egypt there is no way to find a job (suitable or not) unless you know important person, or you are a relative of person who have wide range to relations, regardless of any qualifications or experience you have !!!
How can you change a society with these values ???
Khaled Salah Eddin
Egypt, Arab Rep.
What are specific policies MENA governments can adopt to create jobs in the immediate/short-term?
Georges
Lebanon
Why in your opinion is the combination of the Middle East oil wealth and the strength of the World Bank not advancing the development of the "knowledge economy" much faster in this region? Can people from outside the region help and if so, how?
Reb Thomas
United States
I think that the economic relief of the Arab world is a long term goal , it is unlikely to occur unless the sources of revenue are diversified. Only then unemployment could be significantly and sustainably reduced by a better coordination between education and the labor market.
Amira
Algeria
ACCORDING TO MY PERSPECTIVE,WB HAS TO CONDUCT "SKILL DEVELOPING CENTERS" IN WIDE SPREAD GEOGRAPHICALLY MENE FOR YOUTH i.e SKILL THAT SHOULD ENABLE YOUTH TO FIND JOB IN NEAR TO THEIR HOME LIKE "MGNREGS SCHEME" IN INDIA AND BY ESTABLISHED DISTRICT LEVEL TRAINING BOARDS
ATCHUT
India
what are the certain performance the youth need to do before meeting the jobs requirement
richard
Ghana
What is the role of world bank in "job creation"?
I think the World Bank is applying the same "agenda" on all MENA countries, this might not be the best strategy given the direrences among MENA countries.
Kais
Yemen, Rep.
How does the new Egyptian government think, together with stake holders, about solutions for the problem? How the does the IMF program currently in negotiation help or impact?
Wasseem Mina
United Arab Emirates
how i get job in world bank?
kamalesh kumar yadav
India
can the politics taken by the new government in Tunisia (as well for Egypt) reduce the unemployment rate ? on the long and short terms ! thank you
jaouadi hiba
Tunisia
كيف يمكن ان نواجه مشكلة البطاله ؟
ما هي التوجهات التي يمكن ان تمكن الانسان او المجتمع للحد من البطاله ؟
ماهي اهم المشكلات التي زادت من نسية البطاله ونقص فرص العمل في الشرق الاوسط وكيف يمكن معالجتها ؟
Hamdi ali
Yemen, Rep.
What is the role of technology in creating sustainable jobs in the MENA region?
Chrisella Herzog
United States
It would be a joyful experience for me to serve at any company in Arab-World.
S.M.Sarwar Kamal
Bangladesh
What are the distinct levels of employment and unemployment bracket numbers in the Middle East based on family size?
Hal Zhao
United States
UN reports argue that the unemployment problem is not offer-led (mismatch between skills provided by university and private sector requirements) but rather demand-led (wages, and lack of internal training in companies). What should be the priority measures taken then?
Inès
France
In my country, Palestine, and specifically in Gaza Strip we have the highest unemployment rate in the world. The unemployment rate reached 41%. My question here where are your projects that target the youth and specially the graduates in Gaza Strip?
Mohammed Al-Jaro
West Bank and Gaza
Surely the issue is no only the lack of jobs but the lack of further education and soft skills development in order to allow the Arab Youth to conduct those jobs? There is a limited connection between education and employment in much of the region.
Matthew Lewis
United Arab Emirates
What is ur social and educational projects in Yemen?
RadwanSamsan
Yemen, Rep.
Before addressing this issue related to "job creation" we should dig more "upstream" and ask:"why education is of bad quality"?because it is the cause of the "skills mismatch" in my opinion.
Latifa Latifah
Algeria
Could you please ask our policymakers these questions?(i)"How many students by classroom?-we were 42 in my classroom!(ii)What are the qualifications of teachers?how familiar are they with new teaching methods and new technologies?(iii)What about vocational and technical trainings?
Latifa
Algeria
1- Introduce entrepreneurship in universities.
2- Institutions that will adopt good ideas from young entrepreneurs & share profit.
Tarek Allam
Canada