uae national youth agenda

UAE National Youth Agenda

Introduction 4How Does the UAE National Youth AgendaDiffer from Other Strategies? 5Baseline Analysis 6Benchmark Analysis 7Vision 8Objectives 9Objective 1 - Engaged and Empowered Youthwho Actively Shape Local and Global Agendas 10Objective 2 - Patriotic and Value-DrivenYouth who Embody UAE Identity and Culture 11Objective 3 - Productive and EntrepreneurialYouth who Realize their Full Potential 12Objective 4 - Responsible and Stable Youthwho Plan for their Future 14Objective 5 - Healthy and Safe Youth who are Protected from Harm 17Strategy Performance Management 19References 19

CONTENTS

UAE NationalYouth Agenda 3


Youth, which is defined as 15 - 30 years of age, represent over 40% of the Emirati population in the UAE and, as catalysts for the nation’s development and growth, drive all sectors of economic and social life. �e UAE Government believes in the importance of investing in its youth and providing them with support and adequate opportunities for them to fully realize their potential. As statistics discussed in the agenda will demonstrate, young Emiratis are eager to serve as productive members of society, lead growth of the nation, preserve its identity and conduct meaningful lives as proud and responsible citizens.

�e Youth Agenda is the first agenda for youth in the UAE that covers all the aspects required to improve their development and productivity—from engagement in policy making and agenda-shaping to education, employment, stability, housing, marriage, family support, health and safety. �e development of the agenda began with an extensive baseline effort, which surveyed multiple sources and gathered information

INTRODUCTIONpertaining to youth ambitions, challenges and opportunities. �ese sources included the UAE leadership in the form of discussions and meetings held with officials from various Government organizations. Meetings were also organized with the Local Youth Council and Youth Circles, and a comprehensive youth survey was launched by the Youth Office. Moreover, a detailed global benchmarking analysis studied over fifty youth strategies and reports from around the world.

�e National Youth Agenda is actionable with objectives, key performance indicators, initiatives, and performance management frameworks, ensuring that all stakeholders can work together over the next five years to achieve its objectives efficiently and effectively.

Finally, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and the Ruler of Dubai stated that the UAE: ‘was built by the nads and achievements of youth. Youth is our strength and speed and is our treasure for the future.


1. For the first time, a Youth Agenda is developed by the youth, and for the youth, taking into account that the Minister of State for Youth Affairs and her team are all youth;2. Youth mainstreaming and engagement are at the heart of the agenda through unique initiatives such as Youth Circles and Youth Councils;3. �e Youth Agenda has the global aim to position Emirati youth as role models for youth around the world;4. �e Youth Agenda is actionable with objectives, KPIs, initiatives, and performance management and governance frameworks;5. �e Youth Agenda involves all stakeholders in the community, from the government to the private sector and the youth;6. �e Youth Agenda is based on multiple sources of information: government leadership, private sector stakeholders, and the youth;7. �e Youth Agenda is inclusive of all youth and speaks to them in their language.

HOW DOES THE UAE NATIONAL YOUTH AGENDA DIFFER FROM OTHER STRATEGIES?�e UAE National Youth Agenda differs from other global strategies targeting youth in the following aspects:


Existing youth statistics - a review was concluded of all available, current statistics related to the youth.

UAE leadership meetings - meetings with leadership in various fields to gain a first-hand understanding of pressing youth issues and goals from their perspectives.

Local Youth Councils - a review of the feedback from local Youth Council meetings, held to discuss youth ambitions and challenges.

Youth Circles- the organization of Youth Circles across the UAE to engage with youth from various backgrounds and sectors.

BASELINE ANALYSIS�e development of the National Youth Agenda began with an extensive baseline effort, which gathered information from multiple sources. �ese included youth statistics, leadership meetings, youth feedback from Local Youth Councils, Youth Circles, the Youth Survey, and social media feeds; and related national strategies as follows:

Youth Survey – the launch of a qualitative online survey that ran from August to September 2016 and collected around 8,000 responses from youth, providing feedback on critical topics.

Social Media Feed – a review of all feedback from youth on social media.

#�eNationalDialogueOnYouth – the launch of a federal-wide online campaign by HH Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for youth to express their dreams, aspirations and concerns.

Youth Retreat – the organisation of a two-day retreat, playing a major role in developing the Youth Agenda. �e retreat gathered more than one hundred Emirati youth, who brainstormed the most critical issues relevant to the UAE’s future, generated creative and sustainable ideas and proposed strategies for successful growth and development. Several Ministers attended the Youth Retreat to engage with youth on the policymaking process.

National Strategies – a review of national strategies that have thus far addressed youth goals and challenges.


Moreover, key youth performance indicators were reviewed from over 32 countries including France, Sweden, the United States, China, Russia, Italy, Austria and others. In addition, a thorough review was conducted of global youth reports, such as the EU Youth Report 2015 and the Eurobarometer Youth Survey 2015 as well as reports by the OECD, World Bank, and the World Health Organization.

�e benchmark analysis demonstrated that, in general, youth strategies concentrated on five key areas:

BENCHMARK ANALYSISA detailed global benchmarking analysis was conducted to study youth strategies from around the world. Youth strategies and surveys were reviewed in detail for Ireland, United Kingdom, Finland, Germany, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Australia and South Africa.

5. Civic and social engagement: empowering youth to be both active local and global citizens

4. Safety and protection: ensuring that young people and, in particular, vulnerable and marginalized youth feel safe and supported at home, in school, and in their communities

1. Education and training: strengthening education pathways, ensuring equal access to education and equipping youth with skills required for success in the job market

2. Economic security: ensuring that young people have employment prospects as well as the drive to perform in an entrepreneurial environment

3. Health and well-being: enabling youth to enjoy a healthy and active lifestyle, both physically and mentally

For each of these five focus areas, the benchmarking analysis highlighted the objectives of the different countries, the key performance indicator results, as well as particularly inspiring and creative initiatives

Productive youth with an entrepreneurial spirit who realize their full potential and embody Emirati values

VISION



OBJECTIVES�e UAE National Youth Agenda outlines five key objectives to achieve its vision within the next five years:

1. Engaged and Empowered Youth who Actively Shape Local and Global Agendas

2. Patriotic and Value-Driven Youth who Embody UAE Identity and Culture

3. Productive and Entrepreneurial Youth who Realize their Full Potential

4. Responsible and Stable Youth who Plan for their Future

5. Healthy and Safe Youth who are Protected from Harm


Objective 1 - Engaged and Empowered Youth who Actively Shape Local and Global AgendasPriority 1 - Engaged youth in shaping policy and solutions locally and globally

Background Global Recognition of the Importance of Youth Participation: Over the last decade, the international community has begun to acknowledge the right and ability of young people to play a key role in policy and decision-making. Governments around the world are implementing initiatives that aim to include the youth in dialogues affecting their lives and nations. Youth in the UAE: �e UAE has witnessed rapid growth and economic development over the last 40 years led by a young generation of dreamers and doers. �e youth represent around 40 percent of the local population and have been engines for the

nation’s productivity and catalysts for positive transformation. Young Emiratis are eager to shape the world around them and demonstrate their capacity for influencing legislation, initiatives and perceptions on local and global matters. �e UAE Government realizes that its youth can effectively and innovatively put forward solutions to the challenges they face and, through their unique perspectives, harness opportunities that will allow them to reach their full potential.

UAE’s Leading Role in Youth Mainstreaming: In this context, the UAE aims to lead the international effort in youth mainstreaming. �e leadership’s goal is to engage and empower youth to become active participants and leaders in policy making. It has initiated this effort by instating a Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Shamma Bint Sohail bin Faris Al Mazrui, at the age of 22 the youngest Minister in the world and now the voice and advocate of Emirati youth. Moreover, the UAE has established the Emirates

Youth Council, composed of young members from across the country to act as the Government’s advisory arm for all policies and issues related to the youth. It also established the Youth Office, entrusted with the task of creating mechanisms to listen to the youth and to engage them on local and global policies and initiatives. �e Youth Office, in particular, has taken this task to heart and launched local Youth Councils in every emirate in the country as well Youth Circles, an initiative that brings together youth from

the community to discuss issues relevant to them.

Looking ahead, the UAE is proud to be the first country in the Arab world to introduce a Youth Engagement Policy. As the world’s first national youth engagement policy created by youth, this policy presents and enforces governance and engagement tools that will enable youth to engage in and influence all issues affecting their lives.


Priority 1 - Patriotic and value-driven youth who embody Emirati identity and spirit

BackgroundEmiratis are proud and patriotic citizens with a strong sense of belonging to the UAE and an unwavering commitment to the values of their leadership. In 2014, Emiratis scored 91% on the National Identity Index[3], a composite indicator that measures the sense of belonging and national

Objective 2 - Patriotic and Value-Driven Youth who Embody UAE Identity and Culture

identity of citizens, conducted by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development. Moreover, according to the findings of the 2012 UAE National Values Survey announced by Barrett Values Centre, three values—respect, family and ethics–were identified by participants as the cornerstones of UAE culture. As for Emirati youth, In response to a current youth survey led by the Youth Office, the top four values that UAE youth identified as

most important to them were (1) national pride and love and loyalty to the country, (2) ambition, (3) respect and tolerance, (4) and connection with Emirati culture, heritage, and tradition [1]. Nonetheless, at a time of rapid globalization and the looming global threat of radicalization, the UAE government plays a pivotal role in ensuring that national values and identity are deeply rooted in Emirati youth. �e Ministry of

Culture and Knowledge Development plays a key role in implementing initiatives that preserve national identity and strengthen the youth’s sense of belonging. �rough its cultural programs, the Ministry aims to raise their level of cultural awareness and enforce Emirati traditions among youth. In activating this mission, the Ministry of Tolerance plays the critical role of promoting tolerance and celebrating difference for the UAE’s diverse population. Moreover, Emirates Youth Council is undertaking a leading role in this area through the launch of “�e National Emirates Youth Values Programme” in June, 2016 under the Patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak with a mission to instill Emirati youth with national values in order to raise active, responsible, and socially conscious citizens. �e program will be rolled out across the country in partnership with academic institutions, as well as public and private sectors.

Priority 2 - Socially active and responsible youth who are loyal citizens living for a purpose BackgroundVolunteer work expands understanding of other people’s lives and provides a new view of the world and the problems within it. Volunteering amid even the most severe social problems can often be a long-lasting source of personal hope. �e majority of Emirati youth—around 57%—prefer to contribute to society by giving money to a charity or a good cause while 25% volunteer their time to a cause and 18% do not engage in either activity on a monthly basis [2]. Several volunteering initiatives have been on the rise in the UAE. However, with a relatively low volunteering

rate, there is an opportunity to encourage more youth to participate in volunteering through:

• Understanding the perspectives of youth towards volunteering and possible impediments to participation in community service• Spreading awareness about volunteering opportunities at schools, universities and public arenas• Using peer pressure through social media platforms to engage a larger number of youth• Recognizing and rewarding volunteering youth to establish community role models Moreover, it is imperative to provide opportunities for the

youth to engage in social activities. An environment that is rich with cultural, artistic and community events has a positive impact on the way youth develop and connect to one another and to their country. In addition, it is imperative that UAE youth also understand and appreciate cultural exchange in order to develop into well rounded adults who understand the world around them. �ere is an opportunity to strengthen efforts in this area and provide youth with more opportunities for cultural understanding at a school and university level.


Objective 3 - Productive and Entrepreneurial Youth who Realize their Full PotentialPriority 1 - Educated youth in demanded specialisations

BackgroundSchool Level Education

�e UAE attaches great importance to education especially at a time when the nation is diversifying its economy and evolving into a knowledge-based economy. In recent years, the focus has increasingly been on the training of teachers, the provision of a student-centred approach to learning and the development of a curriculum that meets local and global needs. �is agenda focuses on the school-level education of youth aged 15 to 18 emphasizing areas that will enable them to make a smooth transition into university, such as enrollment, STEM specialization,

learning outcomes, and motivation. Enrollment: �e upper secondary graduation rate is relatively high at 86%[3]. Nonetheless, the reasons that lead Emirati students to drop out include the lack of desire to learn due to poor performance or demotivation (often attributed to poorly educated parents), the lack of academic engagement from parents, teachers or schools, and the pressure to generate income at a young age due to family circumstances. STEM: Secondary students do not favor the STEM track despite the increasingly high job-demand for STEM majors over the last 10 years. �is issue is attributed to a lack of interest in STEM topics, the lack of awareness of STEM career tracks,

and few national STEM role models who are recognized and celebrated. Learning Outcomes: �ere is an opportunity for students to improve their learning outcomes as UAE ranks 46th in the PISA test (out of 65 countries) and 78% continue to enroll in a foundation year[3]. Low learning outcomes have been attributed to unqualified teachers and academic curriculum and pedagogy, which are all being rigorously addressed and developed by federal and local education stakeholders. Motivation: A full assessment of student motivation and attitudes towards learning is required. Parental involvement, additionally, plays a major role in inspiring students to achieve and pursue their passion.

Higher Education

Improving access to quality higher education is a national priority. Recent investment and efforts have expanded enrollment in the UAE’s higher education sector. Students are equipped with internationally recognized qualifications that prepare them for employment in the UAE’s economy. STEM in Higher Education: Students continue to major in fields that are less demanded by the market and hence find difficulty in securing employment. In 2014 the majority (67%) of higher education students specialized in non-STEM majors such as business administration, law/sharia, humanities, mass

communication and PR, while only 33 % specialized in STEM[4]. Stronger career counseling is required at the secondary level to support students in choosing university specialisations. Vocational Education and Training: Vocational education is an essential component of the UAE’s education system, especially as the country builds new sectors that require technical skills and knowledge. Vocational education provides an opportunity for the youth to discover alternative pathways to careers and enables them to build the skills they need to enter the job market.

More than 4,600 Emiratis graduated from the Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET) between 2010 and 2013[5] and proceeded to become successfully employed. Students with vocational education experience higher rates of employment at graduation than higher education students.

However, there are challenges involved in attracting students into vocational education, including societal perception of vocational education holders, affecting the desire of students to pursue it, and the lack of awareness about career opportunities available to vocational degree holders.


Priority 2 - Employed youth in both private and public sectors

BackgroundYouth employment is a strategic priority for the UAE as the nation prepares for the post-oil economy. �is priority will require strategic investment in skills development and capacity building to ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Moreover, youth unemployment has significant economic and societal consequences, including inequality and social exclusion—factors that fuel social discontent and create the breeding ground for the manipulation of young people by malicious forces. Unemployment: In the UAE, youth unemployment figures are relatively low compared to regional and global statistics, yet Emirati youth unemployment is high compared to overall UAE unemployment. While overall unemployment in the UAE was 3.7% in 2015, 11%

of Emiratis between 15 and 24 were unemployed. Moreover, while 9.1% of young Emirati men are unemployed, the number of unemployed Emirati women between 15 and 24 is considerably higher at 18.3% due to family/cultural obligations[6]. Key factors causing youth unemployment:

• Youth prefer to work in Government jobs - 54% of youth said in a recent Youth Office survey that they sought public sector jobs [7]. �e youth seek to pursue careers in government due to high salaries, job security, job benefits, familiarity with the work culture, shorter work hours and lesser work pressure. Such demand for public sector jobs is not sustainable, as many youth do not look towards other forms of employment or economic activity. • Emirati youth prioritize level of income as the most

Priority 3 - Entrepreneurial youth that are innovative and competitive

Background�e UAE believes that fostering entrepreneurship will drive the creation of jobs and contribute to the development of an innovation-driven economy especially as the nation diversifies into new sectors reliant on innovation and creativity. �e country has recently witnessed several major initiatives supporting entrepreneurship: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid announced 2015 as the Year of Innovation, Dubai Future Accelerators was launched, and new incubators and accelerators have been established by the private and public sectors. Youth Entrepreneurs: Despite all these efforts, the level of entrepreneurial activity among young Emiratis remains low. UAE

important factor when deciding on a job (23%), followed by passion for the job (21%), usefulness to society and the country (19%) and work-life balance (11%) [8]. Youth should be encouraged to prioritize passion for the job, and its usefulness to society and the economy. Most importantly, young adults should be inspired to pursue careers that provide intellectual enrichment - and not just financial enrichment.

STEM Sectors: As the UAE diversifies into major non-oil sectors of the future such as aerospace, renewable energy and smart city technology, we are seeing an increased need for local youth to enter these sectors and prepare for leadership roles. �e number of youth required in these sectors needs to be calculated, and skills required need to be taught through higher education and vocational training.

youth classified as self-employed and employers account for only 1% of the employed youth [9] (compared to 35% in Lebanon and 30% in South Korea). Moreover, 24% of youth in the UAE aspire to become entrepreneurs [10] showcasing a clear interest but a lack of ability or opportunity to enter entrepreneurial ventures. Key deterring factors for youth entrepreneurship include a preference for public sector jobs as well as cultural characteristics such as high fear of failure and low risk tolerance. Entrepreneurial environment: �ere is a major opportunity to strengthen the entrepreneurial environment:

• A champion of entrepreneurship is lacking and hence initiatives are fragmented without any existing assessment of their cumulative impact• Funding can be made more

accessible to entrepreneurs• Access to infrastructure, human capital and mentoring can be reinforced• Intellectual capital can be better protected by law and the patenting process can be shortened• Entrepreneurship can be integrated into school and university level education• Youth entrepreneur role models can be celebrated and promoted• The culture can become more supportive and encouraging to entrepreneurs

Priority 4 - Creative youth who are talented and expressive

BackgroundYouth with outstanding talent are those who perform or show the potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with others their age, experience, or environment. �ese youth exhibit the capability for high performance in intellectual, creative, and/or artistic areas, possess an unusual leadership capacity, or excel in specific academic fields. �ey require services not ordinarily provided at schools. �e UAE realizes the importance of nurturing talented youth and, moreover, not only selecting them

but identifying and developing their talent from an early stage. Talent selection is the culling of talented youth with the current ability to participate and to be successful in activities taking place in the near future. Talent identification, on the other hand, is the prediction of future performance based upon an evaluation of current physical, technical, tactical and psychological qualities. Talent selection is simple; talent identification is an art. One yields great results today; the other builds elite artists, musicians, writers and Nobel prize winners in the future. Identification of creative and talented youth in the UAE mostly happens at schools and universities where youth can showcase their

unique abilities in various fields. Currently, there is an opportunity to implement the following efforts in these areas:

• Unify the fragmented efforts to scout and develop talented youth at academic institutions and community centers across the country• Create clear mechanisms for the identification of talent• Develop and implement approaches for nurturing and accommodating talented youth at schools, universities and in the community such as acceleration, enrichment and mentoring• Track and measure all related initiatives for impact


Objective 4 - Responsible and Stable Youth who Plan for their Future

Priority 1 - Visionary Youth who plan for their future

BackgroundPlanning ahead is a key skill for youth to achieve their academic, professional and family goals. �ere is a clear opportunity to support Emirati youth in acquiring this skill as 21% said that they do not know what they would like to achieve in the next 5 years[11]. Providing youth with the know-how and skill to develop plans will allow them to identify associated risks, become proactive rather than reactive to events, and improve

performance.

Planning ahead means the following for UAE youth:

• For a high school student, it means researching and seeking support to thoroughly understand career fields and choices in order to select the right major for them• For a university student, it means studying the market needs, identifying the job options they like the most and preparing to apply and compete for those jobs ahead of time

• For a working professional, it means understanding their career track and what it takes to grow in their chosen field in order to build the right skill and achieve results that will allow them to gain a promotion and move up the ladder. It also means saving income in order to be prepared to afford the costs of buying a house and starting a family. Some of the key skills that will be addressed in this area include planning ahead, scenario forecasting, risk taking, time management and decision making.

Priority 2 - Family-supported and family-oriented youth

BackgroundReceiving family support (for younger youth): Parents and families are the single most important influence in the lives of youth. Good parenting is crucial to young people’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical development. �ose who grow up in a loving environment are more likely to develop into healthy and happy adults with high aspirations and a good chance of realizing their full potential.

�ere is an opportunity to enhance certain parenting and family support aspects currently prevalent in some Emirati families by encouraging parents to:

• Spend more quality time with youth, asking about their issues and challenges and offering a listening ear and advice when needed, with the aim to become their go-to people when they have a problem• Decrease youth dependence and access to domestic help in order to increase their sense of responsibility• Decrease the amount of money provided to youth and instead offer them opportunities to earn in order to enhance their

appreciation of money• Offer youth opportunities to make their own decisions in order to build their confidence and decision- making skills• Recognize youth’s achievements and appreciate them in order to encourage further achievement and hard work• Remain active and integrated into the youth’s academic life, following up on their results and maintaining a strong relationship with their teachers and school staff Starting and maintaining a loving family: Many Emiratis in the youth age bracket enter into marriage and begin to establish a family. A challenge to marriage stability is the high divorce rate between Emiratis, which is considered a major societal concern. In the space of three years between 2011 and 2013, more than 12,000 couples in the UAE filed for divorce—equivalent to 11 couples a day—out of which more than a third were Emirati couples [12]. Some of the biggest factors of divorce include: reliability on others, inability or disinterest in

taking on responsibility, age at marriage, interference of family members, financial issues and lack of communication. Another challenge is the high cost of marriage, which many Emirati youth mention as an impediment to marriage and the start of married life with high debt. Nonetheless, divorce rates have not been examined for youth specifically, nor have the reasons behind separation of young couples and obstacles to a cohesive family life.

Providing family support as a parent (for older youth): When youth start a family and have kids of their own, they need to prepare for the important task of parenting, which will be the most influential factor in their children’s happiness, ambitions and personality. �ere is an opportunity to better prepare youth for the parenting journey and equip them with the knowledge they need to raise healthy, confident, ambitious and happy children.


Priority 3 - Fiscally accountable youth

BackgroundFiscal accountability has emerged as an increasingly important issue particularly in light of the global recession, in which managing debt emerged as a salient subject. Young Emiratis must learn how to avoid excessive debt and manage their finances such that they can provide for themselves and their loved ones throughout their lifetime. Research has shown that young people around the world and particularly

• 70 percent of young Emiratis are in debt mainly for spending beyond their means on personal loans, credit expenses, and car loans

• Youth in UAE spend most of their income on fashion, with Emirati youth spending 3 times more than their expatriate Arab and Asian counterparts

• Out of every Dh100 spent by the average UAE youth, almost Dh40 goes on clothing and nearly Dh35 on mobile phones average UAE youth

in the UAE often struggle to manage the wide array of sources of debt. �erefore, there is an opportunity to strengthen financial awareness amongst Emirati youth and to train them on managing their expenses and remaining fiscally responsible as shown by the below statistics[13]:

Priority 4 - Supported and Integrated Youth (Special needs youth)

BackgroundImproving the quality of life for individuals with special needs is a priority of the UAE Government. �ere are currently 2,754 disability cards issued to Emiratis aged 15 to 30 years old (out of which 1,013 are females and 1,743 are males) and 1,321 disability cards issued to non-Emiratis aged 15 to 30 years old[14]. �e UAE is committed to building inclusion and integrating youth with special needs into society and the wider economy.


Priority 5 - Environmentally responsible youth who are advocates for sustainability

Background�e UAE has embarked on a journey to achieve sustainable development and to increase the contributing share of clean energy towards total energy. �e country has witnessed major efforts in this area such as UAE’s Green Development Strategy, which adopts green economy as a strategic option to direct the

national economy towards a green, sustainable and low carbon future, green architecture initiatives, sustainable transportation, efficient resource consumption initiatives, and major solar energy projects such as Masdar City, Shams Solar Plant, and Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park Projects.�e youth have a major role to play in the following areas:

Educating the UAE youth and preparing them to lead the country’s sustainable future is a priority in the national environmental awareness strategy. �e Ministry of Climate Change and Environment continues to encourage the youth to innovate and play an active part of global environmental efforts.

• Adopting new environmentally friendly practices and innovations such as eco-friendly cars, carpooling and electricity preservation behaviors, for instance

• Proposing creative ideas and innovative solutions for environmental issues in order to achieve the goals of the UAE Vision 2021

• Engaging more actively in decision- making on local and global climate policies and initiatives

• Raising awareness regarding environmental issues in society through volunteerism in awareness campaigns and the use of modern means of communication in order to spread positive environmental behavior and knowledge


Objective 5 - Healthy and Safe Youth who are Protected from Harm

Priority 1 - Healthy youth who lead active lifestyles

BackgroundMaintaining health and regular physical activity enables youth to improve strength and endurance, reduce anxiety and stress, increase self-esteem, and decrease the prevalence of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in the UAE.

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Exercise: 36% of Emirati youth say they exercise at least three times a week and 25% say they do not exercise whatsoever[15].

Diabetes: Exact diabetes rates amongst Emirati youth have not been determined; however, in 2013, the World Health Organization revealed that the UAE ranked 16th worldwide in the prevalence of diabetes with 19%[17] of the UAE population living with diabetes. �ese statistics indicate that the UAE has high risk factors for diabetes, mostly related to rising obesity rates and physical inactivity.

Cardiovascular Diseases: �e rate of death from cardiovascular diseases in the UAE is among the highest in the world (298 deaths per 100,000 population[18]). Young Emiratis are vulnerable to heart diseases because of bad eating habits, high blood pressure, obesity and high rates of diabetes. Moreover, many suffer from high blood pressure but do not know about it.

Mental Health: Mental health is a priority for the UAE; however, there is a lack of information for Emirati youth in particular. �e stigma associated with psychiatric disorders prevents young Emiratis from seeking help from professionals. Educating the youth and parents about mental health and the appropriate channels to seek support is crucial to dealing effectively with mental illness.

Drug Abuse: Youth drug-use statistics and the specifics of their situation require further exploration. Overall drug abuse is attributed to peer pressure, life stresses, and problems at home. Seeking help for addiction has become easier and the associated social stigma of being admitted for drug-use is decreasing.

Smoking: Tobacco use is growing in the country as younger individuals continue to adopt forms of tobacco such as shisha (waterpipes) and midwakh (pipe tobacco). Youth statistics are not available; however, 22% of the UAE’s adult population already smoke some form of tobacco[19].

Obesity: Exact obesity rates amongst Emirati youth have not been determined; however, on average, more than 33% of UAE nationals are obese and 60% are either obese or overweight. Obesity results in more instances of diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease[16]. Reasons for obesity include leading a poor lifestyle with long working hours, lack of activity and readily available fast food choices.


Sports at School: �e availability of sports facilities at schools in the UAE is a factor of school evaluation rankings and hence schools must ensure they provide multi-purpose gymnasiums, courts and swimming pools in their campuses. Moreover, students are required to undertake sports classes and are encouraged to participate in sports competitions. �e challenge that remains prevalent, however, is the lack of proper scouting and development of student athletes that exhibit superior skills. As a result, many talented student athletes lose interest and experience deterioration of performance over time.

Priority 2 - Athletic youth who excel in various sports

BackgroundEnabling youth to excel in sports and build their athletic abilities is a priority for the UAE. �e sports sector is governed by several federations, associations, clubs, committees and councils that are all working to enable sports participation and empower youth across the country.

Sports at University: In athletically developed countries, a major emphasis is placed on sports at the university level and students are developed to become the nation’s future Olympians and athletes. �ese efforts include creating a competitive sports culture at universities where students gather to watch and support their fellow student athletes compete against other universities; experienced coaches work with students to hone and improve their athletic abilities; and trained professionals scout and recruit talented athletes to join national clubs and competitions. �ere is a major opportunity to improve this university sports ecosystem in the UAE.

Community Sports Facilities: Across the UAE, free community sports facilities are available for the youth. A key requirement is providing additional air-conditioned spaces for the hot months of the year.

Sports Culture: �ere is an opportunity to strengthen and diversify the sports culture in the UAE and enable it as a “Way of Life”. Emirati youth and men in particular are more interested in watching soccer rather than participating in it while other sports such as Jiu-Jitsu are increasingly emerging as favorites among the youth.

Extremism and security preparedness: �e UAE strongly condemns terrorism and extremism and is committed to confronting, degrading and eradicating extremism in all its forms. �e Government is especially keen on eradicating extremism amongst the youth and preparing them to secure and defend themselves and their country through programs such as the UAE National Service, Sanid and other initiatives that include strengthening cyber security to prevent recruitment by extremists.

Priority 3 - Safe youth who are protected from harm

Background�e safety of Emirati youth is paramount. UAE youth need to feel safe and protected at home, in school, in their communities and online. �ey should feel empowered to seek help and speak out when feeling unsafe or vulnerable.

Road accidents: Road accidents are the second largest cause of deaths in UAE; deaths due to accidents have been increasing every year. According to WHO, residents of UAE are 7 times more likely to die in a car accident as compared to residents in the United Kingdom. Moreover, road accidents are the primary cause of deaths of children and youth in UAE. In Abu Dhabi alone, 63% of deaths are caused by road traffic accidents[20]. Most accidents are due to reckless driving and the careless attitudes of radical actors.

Domestic Violence: Domestic violence cases appear to be on the rise in the UAE, as per the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (the only refuge for victims of such violence) that has noted an increase in cases involving Emiratis.

Bullying: Bullying is a problem that affects youth worldwide and needs to be addressed at schools, universities, homes and the community. Youths who are bullied are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, increased feelings of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleep and eating patterns, and a loss of interest in activities that they used to enjoy. �ese issues may persist into adulthood. Parents, school staff, and other adults in the community can support youth by talking about bullying with them, building a safe school environment, and creating community-wide bullying prevention strategies. Bullying comes in different forms, such as physical, emotional or verbal, gossip, cyber-bullying, exclusion, and harassment. �e UAE Government is aware of the need to prevent bullying and has taken key steps at schools to ensure that communication channels are open between students, parents, teachers and administrative staff and instances of bullying are reported and addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this issue requires constant attention and awareness efforts in the community.

A performance management framework was designed to ensure all initiatives and KPIs in the UAE National Youth Agenda are assigned a champion from the public and/or private sectors and are tracked periodically and supported.

STRATEGY PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

[1] Youth Office Survey 2016[2] Youth Office Survey 2016[3] UAE Vision 2021

[4] �e UAE Higher Education Factbook 2013/2014, Ministry of Education[5] Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training ACTVET[6] International Labor Organization (ILO)[7] Youth Office Survey 2016[8] Youth Office Survey 2016[9] Youth and Entrepreneurship in UAE Study, Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development

[10] Youth Office Survey 2016[11] Youth Office Survey 2016[12] Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority[13] �e ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey, 2010-2011, �e “Nielsen Next: Understanding youth in the UAE” study , 2011[14] Ministry of Community Development[15] Youth Office Survey 2016[16] Global Burden Of Disease study 2013[17] International Diabetes Federation 2015[18] World Health Organization 2013[19] Ministry of Health and Prevention 2010[20] Health Authority Abu Dhabi 2009

References:


emiratesyouth emiratesyouth Emirates Youth

www.youth.gov.ae

uae national youth agenda

Documents