The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the European Union held a two-day regional capacity-building workshop on statistics and data-based policy making for youths who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA).
This workshop focused on measuring and using the NEET Indicator for Evidence-Based Youth Policy, a key labour market indicator identifying vulnerable youth outside work and education. It brought together representatives from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine from national statistical offices, ministries of labour and employers' and workers' organizations. Discussions focused on enhancing the measurement, interpretation, and policy relevance of the Youth NEET indicator, and on translating evidence into concrete policy action.
Youth NEETs represent an immense opportunity yet reflect significant labour-market challenges in the region. In 2023, nearly one in three young individuals aged 15-29 in MENA were NEETs, with rates exceeding 40% among young women in several countries. While the NEET indicator is widely recognized, many countries continue to face challenges related to definitions, data comparability, and the effective translation of statistical evidence into youth employment policies.
© Khalil Rab'a/ ILO
"We are pleased to cooperate with the ILO on the regional Youth NEETs initiative and are particularly encouraged by the progress in Jordan, where the project has developed comprehensive youth NEET profiles that have been formally adopted by the Ministry of Labour." said Ms. Carmen Voigt from European Union Delegation in Jordan.
Organized under the EU-ILO regional Youth NEET (Y-NEET) project, the workshop aimed to bridge the gap between data production and policy action. It strengthened national capacities to calculate and analyze NEET indicators in accordance with international standards, while promoting their practical application for designing, targeting, and monitoring integrated youth employment and activation policies, including Youth Guarantee-type approaches.
The workshop combined hands-on technical training on NEET measurement using labour force survey data, with policy-focused discussions on how NEET evidence can inform targeting employment services, active labour market programs, skills development, and inter-institutional coordination. Sessions were jointly facilitated by ILO labour statisticians and employment policy specialists, ensuring a strong connection between statistical accuracy and policy relevance.
© Khalil Rab'a/ ILO
"Hosting this regional workshop reflects Jordan's strong commitment to advancing evidence-based youth policies". Said Ms Lara Tamimi from the Jordanian Ministry of Labour "We are proud that Jordan is the first country in the region to produce a comprehensive NEET statistical profile. This was not simply a compilation of figures, but a strategic step to better understand the realities facing our youth and identify the barriers preventing their integration into employment, education or training."
By the end of the workshop, participants shared a common understanding of the NEET indicator aligned with international standards, improved their capacity to analyze youth NEET profiles and trends, and enhanced their ability to use NEET data to inform policy design, coordination, and monitoring at the national level.
The workshop will also launch a follow-up process, including online mentoring and regional comparative synthesis, to sustain collaboration between data producers and policy actors across the region.
About the Y-NEET Project
The Youth NEET (Y-NEET) project is a regional 3-year EU funded initiative implemented by the International Labour Organization. Its objective is to improve the labour market integration of young people not in employment, education, or training in the Middle East and North Africa region by strengthening youth employment policies, institutions, and service delivery systems.
