There are millions of young people in the world who have one thing in common, they are in the process of preparing for adult life, seeking to ensure economic independence and to become productive members of their societies. For that to succeed, young people require the support and help of their families; the conditions to live in peace; access to educational and health facilities; and productive, enjoyable leisure time. These are basic necessities for young people the world over, irrespective of their race, sex, colour or religion.
The problems of young people, like the problems of the rest of society, need to be approached from a scientific and interdependent perspective. Despite differences, admitted by all, some problems and their causes are the same regardless of the country and the time. In other words, there is a close link between the development of young people and the society itself. Therefore, beyond the existence of different realities, lies a youth reality, which should be taken into account in development policies.
Despite some similarities in the problems of the young people around the globe, the reality of the Palestinian Youth is still special and different from any other place on earth. The complicated political and economic situation resulting from the over four decades of Israeli occupation of the Palestinian land has caused, and is still causing, sever damage to the youth sector. The absence of any proper political solution to the conflict, uncertainty about future perspectives and hopelessness reinforces the feeling of alienation and confusion among youth. Palestinian youth participation in public life is very limited, and never on a decision making level.
Unlike many other youth organizations and NGOs, IPYL believes that young people are not the problem, but rather the solution. According to several studies and surveys that IPYL conducted in the past years, the young people emphasized that they needed to be advised, consulted and to take a role in designing plans and strategies for their empowerment and development.
The development of this sector requires serious comprehensive cooperation among all the concerned parties: Palestinian government, Palestinian Parliament, youth NGOs, donors and the local communities.
We believe urgent priority should be given to the development of a modern and progressive youth policy in Palestine and to the ratification of the “Youth Law” by the Palestinian Parliament. It is imperative that a without seriously considering these fact the Palestinian youth sector will standstill and a real sociopolitical and economic development will never take place in a country that seeks independence.
In 2009 Sharek Youth Forum published a report on the status of youth in Palestine. It is available from here: Promise or Peril?.
