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Dubai, 11 April 2103:
Three-quarters of Arab youth say their best days are ahead of them in the 5th annual ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller . . .[restrict]Arab Youth Survey, released on Tuesday. An overwhelming 74 percent of all Arab youth surveyed in 15 countries – Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Egypt as well as Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, UAE and Bahrain agreed with the statement: “Our best days are ahead of us”.
Nearly nine out of 10 young Arabs (87 percent) said they felt “more proud to be an Arab” following the uprisings, and 59 percent believed recent changes in their country would have a positive impact on them and their family.
Likewise, more than half (58 percent) believed their country was “heading in the right direction” considering the last 12 months, while 55 percent said their national economy was also heading in the right direction.
Two-thirds (67 percent) felt “better off” following the events of the Arab Spring and 45 percent believed their national government had become more transparent.
UAE-based ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller undertook 3,000 face-to-face interviews with Arab men and women aged 18-24 in the countries. The survey was conducted between December 2012 and January 2013.
In the wake of the Arab Spring, regional youth said they were prouder than ever of their national identity – and they increasingly embrace modern values and beliefs. ?For the second consecutive year, “being paid a fair wage” was the highest priority of Middle East youth, cited by 82 percent of all those surveyed. The importance of fair pay was followed by home ownership, with 66 percent of Arab youth describing “owning their own home” as “very important”.
Rising living costs remained the number one concern of Arab youth, also for the second straight year in the annual study, with 62 percent saying they were “very concerned” about the issue. According to the latest findings, the rising cost of living was a bigger worry than “the economy”, “the threat of terrorism”, “events of the Arab Spring” and “unemployment”.
“Civil unrest” and “lack of democracy” were identified as the main obstacles in the way of the MENA region’s development, while “lack of Arab unity”, the “Palestinian-Israeli conflict” and “lack of political direction” were other barriers.
France was the country outside MENA regarded most favourably by Arab youth
“Despite negative media headlines attributed to the region, Arab youth retain a strong sense of hope for the future and are determined to achieve a better life for themselves and their families,” noted Joseph Ghossoub, head of MENACOM, the regional parent company of ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller,
“Arab youth continue to fascinate and confound international observers,” said Jeremy Galbraith, CEO, Burson-Marsteller, Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Arab youth are clearly displaying an increased confidence in their own ability to shape their collective future – a development which poses significant challenges and opportunities to the region’s leadership.”
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