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Middle East and North Africa Policy Forum Summary – September 2012

Core Content

This summary documents the discussions held at the Chatham House Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Policy Forum with Young Arab Analysts on 13 September 2012, marking the conclusion of the Young Arab Analysts Network International (YAANI) project. The forum aimed to explore youth perspectives on policy innovation in the MENA region, bringing together regional experts, policy-makers, and UK-based advocacy groups. It included a panel discussion and several roundtable sessions focusing on key policy areas such as civil society engagement, gender-based violence, equitable development, media's role in revolution and regulation, youth empowerment, and education and employability.

Main Themes and Key Points

1. Between Government and Citizen: Engaging Civil Society

• Key Theme: Civil society is crucial for good governance and policy-making participation.
• Challenges:
  • Lack of trust between government and citizens.
  • Unclear definition of civil society across different contexts.
  • Low quantity of civil society organizations (CSOs), though quality matters more.
  • Government regulation limits CSO independence.
  • Limited youth involvement due to fears of negative public sector impact and lack of civic ownership.
• Recommendations:
  • Promote volunteering and activism to engage youth.
  • Develop durable projects to ensure long-term youth participation.
  • Encourage collaboration among CSOs.
  • Remove restrictions on foreign funding and diversify internal funding sources.

2. Gender and Society: Shifting Attitudes

• Key Theme: Gender-based violence is a widespread but underreported issue in the region.
• Challenges:
  • Weak state response to gender-based violence.
  • Structural and financial limitations of NGOs.
  • Cultural and religious barriers prevent open discussion and reporting.
  • Patriarchal societal norms contribute to the persistence of the issue.
• Recommendations:
  • Establish institutional bodies to protect women's rights and enforce laws.
  • Improve access to education for women to enhance self-determination and financial independence.
  • Include clerics in the educational process to promote understanding of women's rights.

3. Equitable Development: Integrating Social Justice and Sustainability

• Key Theme: Social justice and sustainable development are essential for equitable growth.
• Focus Areas:
  • Regional equity in Morocco: The Moroccan Advanced Regionalization Plan (2010) aims to promote human development. Recommendations include:
    • Creating a fund for project maintenance.
    • Enhancing capacity-building through training.
    • Establishing a monitoring body for policy implementation.
    • Strengthening rule of law at the local level.
  • Social justice and healthcare in Egypt: Addressing high drug prices and inequality. Recommendations:
    • Promote international competition.
    • Abandon compulsory licensing in the medium term.
    • Encourage bulk purchasing through regional cooperation.
  • Energy efficiency in Morocco: Reducing dependency on foreign energy sources. Recommendations:
    • Hire a consulting firm for energy audits.
    • Establish a monitoring body to ensure recommendations are applied.
    • Create obligatory certificates for energy auditors.

4. Media: Revolution and Regulation

• Key Theme: The role of media in shaping political and social discourse, especially post-Arab Spring.
• Challenges:
  • Poor policy analysis in most media outlets.
  • Lack of online professionalism and self-regulation.
  • State control over media and absence of independent regulatory bodies.
  • Limited media independence due to restricted funding sources.
• Country-specific Insights:
  • Egypt: Social media played a key role in the revolution but now faces challenges in representing the broader population due to a disconnect between online and offline communities.
  • Morocco: Gradual reform has improved press freedom, but journalists still face prosecution for critical reporting.

5. Seizing the Moment: Youth Empowerment and Participation

• Key Theme: Youth empowerment is vital for sustainable political and social change.
• Challenges:
  • High unemployment and lack of professional development opportunities.
  • Limited experience in participatory democracy.
  • Absence of policy analysis tradition hinders youth understanding of political issues.
  • Stable political environment is lacking, with older generations dominating political spaces.
• Recommendations:
  • Foster volunteerism to increase youth engagement.
  • Encourage youth representation in NGOs for employment and influence.
  • Create youth-led councils for dialogue and training.
  • Promote democratic, membership-based organizations to channel youth voices to policymakers.

6. Mind the Gap: Education and Employability

• Key Theme: Education systems must be reformed to address youth unemployment and improve employability.
• Challenges:
  • High unemployment rates in the Arab world.
  • Mismatch between education and job market needs.
  • High tuition fees in private universities limit access.
  • High drop-out rates in rural areas due to poverty, early marriage, and poor facilities.
• Recommendations:
  • Private businesses should fund vocational training and shape higher education.
  • Governments should align curricula with regional standards and promote competitiveness.
  • Allocate more funds to research and innovation.
  • Support arts degrees that teach soft skills and critical thinking to foster entrepreneurship.

Conclusion

The YAANI project aimed to build a network of young policy analysts across Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan to influence government policies. The discussions highlighted the need for structural reforms, improved civil society engagement, gender equality, sustainable development, media independence, youth empowerment, and education reform. The recommendations emphasize collaboration, institutional support, and the integration of youth perspectives into policy-making processes.

About the MENA Programme

The Chatham House Middle East and North Africa Programme, led by Dr. Claire Spencer, focuses on political, economic, and security issues in the region. It runs various events, discussions, and research initiatives to inform UK and international policy debates. The programme also produces public reports, books, and papers on MENA-related topics.
www.chathamhouse.org/mena