1. Summary of findings: Young people in the Gulf and the MDGs 2 reminders A final look at the MDGs

2. Reminder 1: 15 priorities of the World Programme of Action for Youth: Elements for National Youth Strategies - Education - Globalization - Employment- ICTs - Poverty- Conflict - Health- HIV/AIDS - Environment- Intergenerational issues - Drug abuse - Juvenile delinquency - Leisure - Girls and young women - Participation in decision-making and society

3. Reminder 2: Governance and Freedom Good governance and genuine freedoms are requirements to reach the MDGs – not only for young people but for all people in society.

4. Youth and the MDGs Goal 1: To reduce poverty by half in 2015 (Poverty, Employment) Issues included: Lack of data on youth living in poverty and of employmentLack of data on youth living in poverty and of employment Youth Employment Network - a part of the MDG Goal 8Youth Employment Network - a part of the MDG Goal 8

5. Youth and the MDGs Goal 2: To achieve universal primary education (Education, girls and young women) Some of the issues include: –Provide better quality of education to all young people, especially girls and young women –reviewing curriculum development –role of non-formal education, leisure activities to stimulate critical thinking and innovation

6. Youth and the MDGs Goal 3: To promote gender equality and empower women (girls and young women, participation) Issues include: –Gender considerations need to be integrated into education, employment, health, poverty, participation in decision-making…

7. Youth and the MDGs Goal 4: To reduce child mortality AND Goal 5: To improve maternal health (Health, HIV/AIDS, girls and young women) Goal 6: To combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases (HIV/AIDS, Health) Some issues include: –Underscores devastating effect that poor health and these diseases have on young people (more than other groups) –Prevention and awareness raising among youth is CRUCIAL –But also more need for awareness among parents and Governments –Opportunities for youth as peer educators and agents of change

8. Youth and the MDGs Goal 7: To ensure environmental stability Goal 8: To develop partnerships for development Some issues include: –Youth participation in decision making, youth as agents for better governance and greater freedoms –Young people increasingly engaging Governments in their own societies as equal partners for their development

9. An opportunity and a challenge Youth = effective dividend towards building the long-term social capital to achieve and sustaining the MDGs of each individual country. Challenge: devising specific ways in which young people can contribute to the design and implementation of strategies that help achieve the MDGs.

10. Opportunities at national and local levels Initiate dialogue between youth groups, other elements of civil society, and Government National MDG campaigns Strengthen current models of youth participation - create new mechanisms where needed (Sharjah, Bahrain models) Set verifiable indicators for youth participation

11. Thank You!