About 60 percent of the population in the Middle East and North Africa is under age 24. Despite declining fertility rates, the region will continue to have one of the highest percentages of youth in the world.

The Bank is addressing the challenges and opportunities posed by these demographics in several ways. In fiscal 2007, it completed "Voices of Youth," which interviewed young people in Egypt, Morocco, the West Bank and Gaza, and the Republic of Yemen. Young people expressed their concerns about the quality of education and training and their relevance to the needs of employers. They also indicated their desire for meaningful political and social participation.

The Bank intensified its efforts to address the needs of youth in a multisectoral manner. In fiscal 2007, its lending program funded projects in Egypt, Jordan, and Tunisia that focused on entrepreneurship, training, employment, and higher education. The Bank is also preparing a youth policy note for the region that identifies current gaps, sets priorities, and makes policy recommendations for mainstreaming the youth agenda across sectors.