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Tomorrow, the UAE will join the world in celebrating International Youth Day under the theme ‘’From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development’’. The Day is celebrated annually on August 12 to bring youth issues to the attention of the international community and celebrate the potential of youth as partners in today’s global society. It also offers a chance to raise awareness of the need to ensure the engagement and participation of youth, which is essential to achieving sustainable human development.
The vision of empowering, qualifying and investing in youth energies in the UAE has achieved tremendous leaps over the past years, which was evident in their increasing presence in the decision-making process and their active participation in the comprehensive development witnessed by the country.
The UAE’s youth empowerment strategy is based on the vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan who said:’’ “Empowering and investing in youth and preparing them with future skills and sciences is a fundamental pillar within the UAE’s comprehensive development vision. Youth are the strength, energy, ambition and true wealth. They are also the pillar of development and the leaders of tomorrow in their communities. They must acquire everything that enables them to contribute effectively to the progress of their country and create a prosperous future for it.”
The UN says data generated from digital interactions supports evidence-based decision-making. With profound impact across economic, social and environmental dimensions, digital technologies and data contribute to at least 70 per cent of the 169 SDG targets while potentially reducing the cost of achieving these goals by up to USD 55 trillion.
In May 2024, The Cabinet approved the National Youth Agenda 2031, which aims to empower young Emirati to be a role model regionally and globally. The Agenda seeks to increase their contribution to economic and social development.
The Agenda focuses on five main pillars: aiming for the Emirati youth to be a major contributor to the national economic growth, to contribute effectively to the community while adhering to Emirati values and principles, to globally drive positive change and be a global role model, to keep up with the latest breakthrough in advanced technologies and be highly proficient in mastering the skills of the future, and to enjoy the highest levels of health and quality of life.
The National Youth Agenda 2031 aims to qualify more than 100 young Emirati to represent the country in global organisations and forums related to the national sectors of priority, and to provide 100% suitable career pathways for youth in the labour market.
The Agenda seeks to place the UAE among the top 10 countries globally in terms of the quality of life provided to youth. The agenda aims to enhance the national consciousness among the youth, ensuring that Emirati youth are the proudest of their identity and national affiliation, and to launch the National Charter for Youth in this field.
The UAE’s National Youth Strategy targets Emiratis between the ages of 15-35. The strategy splits this 20-year time span into five stages: education, work, family formation, citizenship practice, and national action. It forms a roadmap for various institutions, bodies, and entities concerned with youth in the country, as well as for various government and private initiatives to empower youth in all fields. The strategy has resulted in programmes and initiatives that support Emirati youth, and enable them to maximise their capabilities, realise their potential, and pursue opportunities of their choosing.
In June 2019, the UAE Cabinet made it mandatory for federal government entities to include young Emiratis (under 30 years old) on the Boards of Directors of their respective entities.
The Federal Youth Authority has launched a series of initiatives to engage young people in various fields, such as Youth Councils, which harness the energy of young people and empower them in various sectors. The authority’s key pillars include Youth Engagement Policy, the Youth Housing Policy, and several other policies that recognise the positive impact youth can have on society. The policies aim to empower the youth to be more proactive in the development of the country.
Youth Retreat helps young people create a plan for themselves, and the Youth Agenda, the first-of-its-kind, enhances the role of Emirati youth in creating positive change. The UAE also identifies young leadership talents through the UAE Government Leaders Programme, and empowers the role of UAE youth globally through the Emirates Youth Global Initiative.
In 2017, the UAE launched the Arab Youth Center (AYC) during the World Government Summit as a regional initiative that helps to develop youth capabilities and supports innovation and creativity in the Arab world. It implements initiatives across different sectors, and conducts research amongst young Arabs to help decision-makers shape youth-friendly policies. The center aims to help groom a generation of young Arab leaders who can shape a brighter future for the Arab world, through organising initiatives, events and programmes that refine their capabilities, maximise their potential, and encourage them to participate in driving change and leaving a positive impact on their communities.
The center launched an array of strategic initiatives and projects implemented by young individuals, including the Arab Youth Hackathon, the Arab Youth Projects Market initiative, and the Young Arab Diplomatic Leaders Programme. It also launched a series of initiatives from the UAE to the Arab World, including the Youth Development Delegates Programme in the Arab region, a joint initiative launched by the AYC and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to embed young Arabs in 13 UNDP offices to acquire new skills, develop their knowledge and networks, and harness their learning experiences to implement initiatives that benefit them, their countries, and the whole Arab region.
In April 2022, the UAE launched the National Youth Survey, which aimed to gauge the social, political, economic and cultural maturity levels of the youth, as well as collect youth-related data in different areas that will be made available to decision-makers and researchers to help them draft appropriate policies and strategies, to improve the quality of life of the youth, support their needs and invest in their skills.
In the space sector, the UAE launched, in July 2020, the Arab Space Pioneers’ Programme, a three-year intensive training programme that incubates young talents and aims to expand their career prospects in the region’s emerging space technologies. Overseen by the UAE Space Agency, the programme will equip young Arab researchers, scientists, inventors and creative talents with skills and expertise required to lead a career in the growing space sector.