Youth in the ESCWA Region - Situation and Responses

The 14 countries of the region covered by the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) are remarkable for the youthfulness of their populations. A consequence of a combination of rapidly-decreasing birth and infant mortality rates, 19.97 per cent of the ESCWA region’s population was aged between 15 and 24 in 2010, compared to their global share of 17.6 per cent. Although declining gradually, projections from the United Nations Population Division suggest that it will remain higher than the global average until 2050. This document focusses on the following themes: - Demographic situation - Youth in the economy - Youth and well-being - Youth in civil society