Global Shapers Beirut seminar to discuss solutions to unemployment from the perspective of globalised youth

Global Shapers Beirut organised a seminar in collaboration with Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service at the American University in Beirut.  The event was entitled "Youth Unemployment: Bringing Davos Insights to Beirut”, and was held on March 3d with the participation of the General Director of Kafalat, Khater Abou Habib, and the Director of Massar association, Kamal Shayya.
Global Shapers shared with the participants the main outcomes of the Davos World Forum regarding global unemployment causes and solutions.  The representative of Global Shapers Beirut at the Davos World Forum, Ziad Mabsout, highlighted the direct link between education which does not match market need and unemployment in addition to rapid population growth, the impact of the international economic crisis, the feeling of despair and the absence of state policies that address unemployment.  Mabsout then shared the solutions which were presented at the World Economic Forum namely strengthening links between schools and universities on the one hand, and potential employers on the other, in order to respond to market needs. He also stressed the importance of orienting students in this direction in addition to training children at an early age in rational and critical thinking, to direct them toward private entrepreneurship, supporting enterprises and creative ideas generated by the youth and providing necessary training for university students before they graduate.
For his part, Abou Habib discussed with the youth present at the seminar the possibilities to apply international recommendations in Lebanon.  He added that unemployment is an endemic problem in Lebanon especially in the absence of accurate statistics and studies and since consecutive government did not address this matter seriously.  Abou Habib noted that he personally endorses Kafalat's strategy aiming to support pioneering initiatives proposed by young people because these create employment opportunities and strengthen the local economy.  Shayya noted that pioneer initiatives need to interact with other factors so that Lebanon can become a holder of talents.  He highlighted five components of the youth strategy which was endorsed by the government namely: linking education to market need, protecting local labor, controlling employment criteria, developing technical training so that it meets market needs and giving due consideration to the industrial and agricultural sector which have been long neglected in favor of commerce and services.
To be noted that Global Shapers Beirut was created in 2012 and is one of 309 groups working in different parts of the world within the framework of the Global Shapers International initiative that  was launched by Davos World Economic Forum aiming at including pioneer and non affiliated youth from all over the world in local and international decision making.  The group includes 16 young women and men in Lebanon and who are considered as decision makers.  The group works with social and economic experts who provide them with advice so that they are able to apply the Davos recommendations to address unemployment.
Source: Al-Hayat 18 March 2014