3 Months After the IANYS Global Conference on National Youth Service in Egypt, Young People Demonstrate Civic Engagement in Action

February 9, 2011

When ICP hosted the 9th Global Conference of the International Association of National Youth Service (IANYS) at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt last October, no one could have anticipated the extent of the popular upheaval that has swept through Egypt since January 25. Yet, discussions of Egypt’s youth at the time were in many ways prescient.

According to the Egypt’s 2010 Human Development Report on Egyptian youth, which was presented at the conference by lead author Dr. Heba Handoussa, close to a quarter of Egypt’s total population is between the ages of 18 and 29, and over 50 percent are under 30. If encouraged by inclusive, well-managed programs and policies, these youth represent a “formidable force” that can contribute positively to Egypt’s future growth and development (EHDR, p. xi)

Yet, unemployment is extremely high among young people, even college graduates. An estimated 90 percent of unemployed people are under 30 and many more are affected by perpetual underemployment (EHDR). Governments throughout the MENA region face tremendous challenges in channeling the potential of their youth population as they make the transition to adulthood.

Creating an enabling environment for youth civic engagement by supporting a “robust and vibrant civil society” is a key strategy for confronting these challenges (IANYS 9th Global Conference Report, forthcoming). During the Global Conference, participants emphasized the need for government policies that allow freedom of association and expression, which are fundamental to civic participation, as well as communications outlets that can raise awareness among youth about opportunities available to them.

Unfortunately, while the energy and vitality of Egyptian youth and civil society have been on the rise for years, the Mubarak government has attempted to restrict such participation, and recent events have propelled this underlying pressure to the surface.

In taking to the streets, young Egyptians are demanding changes in their government and demonstrating their desire to participate fully in society. Their leveraging of social media (some sources have even called it a Facebook-fueled movement) has broadened participation in the protests and drawn international attention to their cause.

Youth who were the focus of discussion and participants at the Global Conference have played a leading role in these historic protests. They have also become the fierce protectors of valuable public buildings, including the Bibliotheca Alexandrina that hosted the conference, organizing groups and calling on the army to join them in guarding against vandals and looters.

Their actions seem to highlight the transformative power of civic engagement—one that can counter repression and pressure governments to enact reforms that address grievances and allow for the plurality of ideas and public debate vital for peace and democracy.

“This is about the people of Egypt who are fed up,” Barbara Ibrahim, the founding director of the John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement at the American University in Cairo, told the Washington Examiner on January 31. She is hopeful that the “people are winning” and that the transition of power will be lawful and orderly.

In an article for Al Jazeera, Firas Al-Atraqchi observed that the Youth Movement, as it has broadly come to be known, is made up of young people who have “have known no other president, no other ruling party and no other political system.” It does not define itself by political ideology, but demonstrates optimism toward Egypt’s future that has inspired an entire society. Also a professor at the American University in Cairo, Al-Atraqchi wrote that her students have made it very clear to her that “opposition parties, long defunct and impotent, have been replaced by grassroots social action.”

The driving force of youth in these current events and the participation of individuals from all ages and backgrounds have shown the possibility for inter-generational partnership, another important feature of an enabling environment discussed at the Global Conference in October.

Photos courtesy of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina

However, as protests give way to what Egyptians hope will be a genuine democratic transition, political leaders must take care not to discount the significant achievements that youth have made in the streets by excluding them from this process. As Egypt faces its future, national dialogue must readily encourage the participation and leadership of youth. Some observers suggest that the creation of an Egyptian Youth Party is necessary for ensuring a legitimate voice for young people in the political process.

For the sake of Egypt’s youth, our hope is that whatever new government emerges in the aftermath, it will take the formidable force of its young citizens seriously and make a concerted effort to enable and harness their full capabilities. As the title of Egypt’s 2010 Human Development Report suggests, youth are crucial to building Egypt’s future. The courage, hope and dignity of Egypt’s youth witnessed by the world over the past two weeks have made their commitment to that future even clearer.


IANYS will be releasing its Report on the 9th Global Conference, which highlights several important themes and issues related to the situation in Egypt, within the next few weeks. In building an ongoing community of practice, IANYS also aims to foster shared learning among its members and will provide opportunities for international and regional dialogue and coordination via an interactive online networking platform, building on the impressive momentum of the conference.


Further reading:

• Volunteerism Breaks Out in Egypt
• The Leaders of Now
• Abdou, Ehaab et al. (2010). Social Entrepreneurship in the Middle East: Toward Sustainable Development for the Next Generation
• EHDR 2010, Youth in Egypt: Building Our Future
• John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement at American University in Cairo
• Innovations in Civic Participation (2010). Youth Civic Participation in Action: Meeting Youth and Community Needs Worldwide, Egypt Country Snapshot

ICP Executive Director Visits Pakistan, Speaks on Youth Service

"Through global citizenship we can create better-educated citizens from many countries, greater opportunities for prosperity and a foundation for a more peaceful world”
–ICP Executive Director Susan Stroud

Last week, ICP Executive Director Susan Stroud journeyed to Pakistan to participate in a regional symposium and visit with various youth organizations in Islamabad and Lahore.

A 2008 study by the Brookings Institution revealed that there are nearly 94 million Pakistani’s under the age of 25, 36 million of whom are between the ages of 15-24. To some, this represents an almost unmanageable number of people to employ, feed and house. For ICP and our partners, it represents vast untapped potential.

While in Pakistan, Susan met with many groups to discuss the power of youth to promote social change, including students completing service-learning projects at several schools, members of the Pakistan-U.S Alumni Network Youth Group and the inspiring youth organization Bargad.

Bargad clearly demonstrates what is possible when youth come together. Founded by a group of college students in 1997, Bargad works to promote youth development and engagement in Pakistan, especially among women. The group has completed dozens of projects, and is currently working on empowering girls in Gujranwala, promoting democratic values in Lahore, improving waste management across the country and many other ventures.

Susan also spoke with the press, and had a guest spot on the popular Pakistani TV show Witness with Quatrina, where she discussed methods to increase youth civic engagement.

In addition, Susan gave a keynote address at the Youth in Action for Global Change regional symposium, which was organized by the British Council, Pakistan. The goal of the symposium was to develop a workable strategy for promoting engagement and global citizenship in order to combat youth radicalization. Youth activists, policy makers, and government officials from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Afghanistan, Qatar, the United States and the UK were in attendance.

In her speech, Susan emphasized the importance of global citizenship and the tremendous impact young people can have on development. ”Harnessing the energy of young people to work with people of other nations will strengthen our ability to tackle global challenges and lead to a more secure world” Susan said. “Through global citizenship we can create better-educated citizens from many countries, greater opportunities for prosperity and a foundation for a more peaceful world”.

Susan mentioned several organizations that were working towards a more global citizenry, including well known organizations such as the Peace Corps, as well as smaller organizations such as School Girls Unite (which was one of 22 organizations highlighted in ICP’s Innovations in International Volunteering report produced for v in 2008). The young people in these groups, and the millions more like them, are demonstrating how powerful the forces of change can be when wielded in the hands of youth.

Young people across the globe, from Pakistan to Zambia, the UK to Chile, are connecting to wield this power. What are you doing? Let us know in the comments!

The Power of the Young: Youth Participation Fighting Environmental Oil Spill Woes

While BP is still currently attempting to make amends, others have taken the situation into their own hands. With each piece of tar that washes up onto Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, and now Mississippi shores from the Gulf oil spill, comes concern and fear about how severe future ecosystem devastation will be, and the severity of economic downturn for the residents.

Every day, CNN reports on the oil spill in the Gulf, and offers five different ways to potentially end this environmental disaster. From using different high tech robots to stop the leak, to detonating a nuclear bomb, all sorts of suggestions have been offered in response to this crisis.

Sometimes, while watching the latest oil spill news, many of us at one time or another probably feel a sense of helplessness. Since many of us cannot simply take time off of work to go directly to the Gulf and volunteer our time, many may feel that they cannot do as much as they would like in this time of environmental distress.

What is often overlooked however, is that some of the most inspiring work to save the wildlife in the Gulf coast is being done by young people.

For example, fifth-grader Olivia Bouler has raised $60,000 through her sketches and paintings of different birds. She sends a picture to anyone who donates to: The Audubon Society, The Sierra Club, The Weeks Bay Foundation, The Mobile Bay Estuary Program or The National Wildlife Fund.

A Facebook group titled "Save the Gulf: Olivia's Bird Illustrations” has also been created, in order to inspire other young people, and show them that they can directly impact their neighborhood.

So what’s the lesson learned? Perhaps it’s that young people have a chance to truly create change in their communities. This illustrates how important civic engagement can be in these types of circumstances. More focus could being going into encouraging the younger generation and recognizing their efforts to bring change. I bet there’s a lot more Olivias out there, and by supporting youth participation in society, we can find those kids, and allow them to express themselves through their remarkable gifts.

Do you have any inspiring stories of young people responding in their own innovative ways to the Gulf oil spill? Please share them in the comments below!

image courtesy of http://audubonoffloridanews.org