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Youth Unemployment, Gender and Institutions During Transition: Evidence from the Arab Spring

Author

Listed:
  • Ali Fakih

    (Lebanese American University)

  • Nathir Haimoun

    (University of Lethbridge)

  • Mohamad Kassem

    (Lebanese International University)

Abstract

Youth unemployment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is the highest in the world surpassing all geopolitical regions. The MENA region witnessed sweeping changes negatively affecting the labor market and markedly increasing unemployment rates following the so-called Arab Spring that began in 2011. This paper meticulously examines the microeconomic determinants of youth unemployment in the MENA region using a unique and novel data on young people aged 15–29 from the year 2016. The results show that being a male and graduated from a public school increase the probability of being unemployed. Moreover, job concerns, corruption, and unequal rights in the society are also found to have a positive incidence on unemployment. However, we find that enhancing gender equality in the labor market, education, family codes, and political participation decreases the probability of employment. Similarly, the results indicate that improving economic inclusion in the post-Arab Spring decreases the probability of unemployment.

Suggested Citation

  • Ali Fakih & Nathir Haimoun & Mohamad Kassem, 2020. "Youth Unemployment, Gender and Institutions During Transition: Evidence from the Arab Spring," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 150(1), pages 311-336, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:150:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1007_s11205-020-02300-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-020-02300-3
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    2. Zahraa Barakat & Ali Fakih, 2021. "Determinants of the Arab Spring Protests in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya: What Have We Learned?," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-15, July.
    3. Pierre Boutros & Ali Fakih, 2022. "Drivers of Research Outcomes in Developing Countries: The Case of Lebanon," Economies, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-21, March.
    4. Mina, Wasseem, 2022. "Female Youth Unemployment in the GCC Countries: A Political Economy Perspective," MPRA Paper 121137, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Rehan Tariq & Izzal Asnira Zolkepli & Mahyuddin Ahmad, 2022. "Political Participation of Young Voters: Tracing Direct and Indirect Effects of Social Media and Political Orientations," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-21, February.
    6. Bakari, Sayef, 2023. "The nexus between domestic investment and economic growth in MENA countries; Does unemployment matter?," MPRA Paper 118349, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Isiaka Akande Raifu & Terver Theophilus Kumeka & Alarudeen Aminu, 2024. "Financial Development and Unemployment in MENA: Evidence from Heterogeneous Panel Causality and Quantile via Moment Regression," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(1), pages 3512-3550, March.
    8. Guy Assaker & Wassim Shahin, 2022. "What Drives Faculty Publication Citations in the Business Field? Empirical Results from an AACSB Middle Eastern Institution," Publications, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-29, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Unemployment; Gender; Youth; Institutions; Arab Spring;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • P48 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Legal Institutions; Property Rights; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Regional Studies

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