UNICEF wants to make sure there's 'No Lost Generation' among millennials

The Middle East is plagued with some of the highest unemployment rates among the up-and-coming generation. One reason behind this could be that most education systems in the region do not link what students learn with the knowledge they actually need in the future. 

However, it seems that's about to change thanks to the efforts of individuals and organizations who are tirelessly working to bridge the gap between learning and earning. This specific issue is at the center of the region's third annual "No Lost Generation Tech Summit," which is set to be held in Jordan's capital Amman on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

The two-day event is primarily organized by UNICEF's regional office for the MENA region and NetHope - an NGO "eager to make a difference in this world through technological innovation." It is also "supported by the steering committee for youth from the region, and representatives from the International Labor Organization, the International Rescue Committee, Mercy Corps, the Norwegian Refugee Council, UNESCO, UNHCR and World Vision."

The summit focuses on presenting tech-enabled solutions attemped to link learning and earning among youth from vulnerable communities across the region. 

The event's packed agenda is "almost entirely developed and managed by young people who have all pioneered ways to bridge the gap between young people's schooling and employment." (These juniors were selected by involved committees after applying for various roles.)

Speaking to StepFeed, a few of these bright young participants told us more about the ambitious initiative and what it means for youth across the Arab world. 

Balqees Shahin Al Turk, a 22-year-old Jordanian, has been participating in youth engagement programs and events with UNICEF and other NGOs since 2016. When she learned about this year's Tech Summit, she immediately applied for a leading role. 

"What makes this summit special is its impact on youth, since youth engagement is very high pre, during and post-summit," Shahin explained.

There are 75 youngsters from across the MENA region working on this summit, she says. The fact that people her age are organizing such an event and have their voices heard among adults is a boost of self-confidence and energy to work harder.

"The rate of unemployment in the MENA region is about 30% although most of the MENA populations is composed of youth," which Shahin finds disappointing. A main problem, according to her, is the gap between what young people learn and what real work environment requires. 

"Young people are graduating with no clue on how to implement what they have learned so its quite important to work on minimizing this gap first by figuring out that there is a problem and second by talking about it and trying to find solutions for this and that's what the summit is about," she explained. 

For Syrian teens - and those a bit older - it's not easy to cope with all that's been lost. "This summit is very important for me as a young person because I have lost a lot of important things like education and my country Syria because of the war," Saber Al-Khateeb, a 22-year-old Syrian and one of the representatives of youth at the NLG Tech Summit, said.

The summit will bring together "youth, private sector companies, development and humanitarian experts, academic institutions and donors to leverage technology and cross-sector collaboration to connect learning to earning for young people in the region, particularly those affected by the crises in Syria and Iraq," he explained. 

Al-Khateeb remains hopeful when it comes to learning-to-earning solutions, as he believes proper implementation will lead to a decrease in unemployment rates. 

Speaking to StepFeed, 24-year-old Palestinian Shahenaz Monia, another young participant in the summit, said the gap between learning and earning should be reduced before unemployment rates skyrocket. 

"Never underestimate the power of any opportunities to get more experience," as these, in her belief, will allow anyone to enhance and hone their skills.

The two-day event will be packed with people from different backgrounds, and with divergent experiences and success stories, which should be interesting and educational to young people.

"Passing through a hard and long way doesn't mean you are wrong," Monia said. "If you believe in something work hard to make it true. It's okay to feel nervous, it only means you are stretching out of your comfort zone," she continued.