Founder and Chairperson Sheikha Moza bint Nasser calls for more partners to invest in youth to create peace and a sustainable future, and raise the bar to 5 million jobs by 2022.

GENEVA, 4March, 2019 – Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Founder and Chairperson of Silatech and UN Sustainable Development Goals advocate, announced that youth will receive 3 million employment opportunities by 2022, calling for more partners to help raise that number to 5 million.

During the high-level event, “Empowering Youth, Transforming Societies,” hosted by Silatech in Geneva, Sheikha Moza addressed global leaders about the importance of tackling rising youth unemployment through economic and social empowerment, particularly in developing regions with increasingly young populations.

At 29 percent, youth unemployment in the Arab region is currently one of the highest in the world, compared to 13 percent globally. “Without meaningful work, our young men and women have no hope for the future, leaving them more vulnerable to radicalization, violence, and political extremism,“ said Sheikha Moza.

Sheikha Moza warned that without decent livelihood opportunities and meaningful work  frustrated youth become socially, poltically and economically excluded, exacerbating pressing global challenges like poverty, social unrest, and illegal mass migration.

“Young men and women need the chance to earn a living that will allow them to support their families, contribute to society, and build better futures,“ she continued. “This is the hope that Silatech offers.“ Established in 2008, Silatech, with the help of over 300 partners, has successfully empowered more than one million young people with economic opportunities and jobs in 17 countries.

Sabah Ismaeel Al Haidoos, CEO of Silatech, on  the organization’s  work: “Silatech promotes large-scale job creation, entrepreneurship, access to capital and markets, and the participation of young people in economic development thus contributing to the attainment of a number of Sustainable Development Goals.”

Marking this milestone, the event included speakers & panelists such as Michelle Bachelet Jeria, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Hassan Ali Khayre, Prime Minister of Somalia, Filippo Grandi, 11th United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Chris Gardner, author of “The Pursuit of Happyness”, as well as around 300 guests from the international community.

Silatech’s combined efforts with EU in Yemen

As a result of its efforts in conflict-affected areas, Silatech was awarded a grant of €5 Million from the European Union for the “Hope Project”. Implemented in Yemen, the project seeks to achieve economic empowerment and financial inclusion for youth and women, the most vulnerable groups in Yemen. Through innovative economic empowerment tools including capacity building and a grants fund, 10,000 Yemeni youth and women will be economically empowered in an effort to improve the current socioeconomic conditions, achieve stability, and improve the living conditions of young people in Yemen.

About Silatech

Silatech is an international, social development non-profit, non-government organization with programs and operations in 17 countries in the Middle East and North Africa that aims to combat unemployment, extremism and the marginalization of women and youth through employment and economic empowerment initiatives, particularly in conflict, post-conflict, and fragile areas. Through its large network of national and international partners, Silatech focuses on empowering youth by connecting them with employment opportunities and facilitating access to resources to set up and sustain successful enterprises.
Silatech operates through three major pillars:

• enterprise development, supporting the establishment and growth of micro and small enterprises;
• direct employment through technological solutions and training for employment;
• and policy and research programs.