Evidence Symposium On Adolescents & Youth 2018

The second edition of the 'Evidence Symposium on Adolescents and Youth: Solutions that Work' gathered young people from all the MENA region to share their voices.

No Lost Generation
Four presenters in front of a crowd with a powerpoint presenting the summit behind them
No Lost Generation
26 September 2018

The second annual ‘Evidence Symposium on Adolescents and Youth: Solutions that Work!’, held on 25 – 26 September in Beirut, Lebanon, gave young people from all over the Middle East and North Africa the space to share their voices and concerns and the opportunity to question policy makers and present their solutions.

Following the successes of the first evidence symposium in 2017, this event, which built on the evidence base established in the 2017 symposium and engaged adolescents and youth to identify ways to address issues of employment, engagement, gender and violence in MENA, aimed to collect and share this evidence to inform policy and promote the scale up of good practices to address key issues related to young people in the region

Two young men posing with a photo frame
A crowd of young people sitting in an amphitheater
A crowd of 50 people sitting in an amphitheater
Three young men speaking at a stage

In a context of political and social instability, with some of the highest rates of collective violence, highest unemployment rates and lowest level of civic engagement in the world, the Evidence Symposium provided a unique space and opportunity for over 50 young in the region to engage with decision makers and exchange solutions and ideas on the key issues and obstacles they face.

Building on the evidence base established in 2017, adolescent boys and girls, young men and women in the MENA region presented and discussed the latest evidence, particularly on the school-to-work transition, violence prevention, and positive engagement opportunities. Policy makers, donors, practitioners and researchers also shared sustainable and effective solutions with adolescents and youth throughout the Evidence Symposium.

A girl sitting and listening
A guy dressed in a suit outside
A young man standing in front of a crowd and speaking in a micro
A young woman sitting in an amphitheater and speaking in a mic

Through the active engagement of young people, and their frank exchange with policy makers, the event is helping to empower young people to become change makers in their society and economy whilst promoting the scale up of good practices addressing their key obstacles.

For more information on the solutions to Violence Prevention and Education to Employment transition shared in the Evidence Symposium, all presentations can be found on the ESAY 2018 Website.