Empowering the Next Generation of Youth

Summary

About the Workshop

The UNDP Youth Empowerment, Engagement, and Knowledge project, Shababeek, operates throughout the Arab region. Our primary goal is to establish a nurturing environment that empowers young individuals to lead the development of practical and sustainable solutions for their communities’ most pressing issues.
With an emphasis on the economic empowerment and civic participation of young people, we seek to highlight the aspirations and perspectives of youth and offer them opportunities to engage with each other and take on the role of innovative key actors in their societies.

Purpose:

This panel discussion is designed to showcase how the UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS) is empowering youth across the Arab region. Through a variety of tools, platforms, and resources, UNDP RBAS is providing young people with the support they need to succeed and drive positive change in their communities. The session will explore the wide array of initiatives under the UNDP SHABABEEK Regional Portfolio, focusing on economic empowerment, civic participation, and climate action, while highlighting key projects like the NextGenYouth platform, the Youth Engagement in NDC initiative, the Tech4Impact competition and the climate change and civic engagement curricula.

Objectives and Learning Outcomes

Introduce participants to the UNDP Regional Next Gen Youth Platform and its key features.
Demonstrate how the platform serves as a resource hub and meeting place for young changemakers in the Arab region.
Explore opportunities for youth to engage with the platform, including access to resources, tools, and networks.
Equip participants with the knowledge to contribute to the platform and connect with a wider network of peers and partners.
Inspire participants to leverage the platform to unleash their creativity and drive sustainable development in their communities.

Tentative Agenda

15 Minutes: Introduction to the UNDP Regional Next Gen Youth Platform
20 Minutes: Exploring Opportunities and Resources
15 Minutes: How to Get Involved and Contribute
20 Minutes: Panel Discussion
10 Minutes: Q&A and Next Steps

Trainer Profile

Layal Wehbe

Layal Wehbe is a Project and Research Analyst within the UNDP Regional Youth Team at the Regional Bureau for Arab States. Layal has been affiliated with UNDP since 2013 where she has been involved in the conceptualization and development of several development initiatives. An economist by training with a Master’s degree in Financial Economics from the American University of Beirut (AUB), she has five years of teaching experience at AUB and more than twelve years of experience conducting economic and statistical research on key development issues in the Arab region, particularly related to political economy, gender, and sustainable development. Layal provides programmatic and analytical support in the areas of youth economic and civic empowerment and manages the UNDP NextGenYouth Platform.