Middle East and North Africa: Youth Platforms

Regional youth platforms are coordinating or umbrella organizations of youth organizations and in particular, national youth councils, in a particular region. A national youth council is an umbrella organization for youth organizations active at the national level. Its role and function are to represent the interests of its member organizations to national authorities responsible for youth. As a coordinating body of organizations with nationwide membership, these organizations tend to consider themselves “representative.”

Arab Youth Union (AYU)

(No website)

PO Box 12033, Damascus, Syria
e-mail: arabyouthunion@email.com

The Arab Youth Union was founded in 1974. It has 33 member organizations and its General Congress meets every four years, complemented by a Central Council that meets once a year. The AYU seeks to defend the fundamental political freedom of Arab youth and promote their democratic rights of organization, expression, and representation as well as rights to equal access to education, training, employment, health, housing, and proper development. The AYU encourages youth initiatives aimed at developing the youth movement in the Arab world and supports activities in the fields of technology, science, sports, voluntary service, literature, and issues related to the spirit of initiative and creativity among young people. The AYU is a member of the GCCC and is invited to participate in the ICMYO.