Arab Spring legacy continues to fade in eyes of region’s youth

Dina Solh says Arab leaders should talk less about themselves and more about what can be done for people. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

ABU DHABI // Five years since the Arab Spring began, a pan-Arab survey shows its legacy continues to wane in the eyes of the region’s youth.

Only 36 per cent of respondents said they felt the region had fared better since people took to the streets during protests that swept the Arab World – a drop of 50 per cent from 2012 when the same question was asked.

The results were included in the eighth annual Arab Youth Survey, released on Tuesday by publicrelations firm Asdaa Burson-Marsteller.

Only in Egypt did young people report a more positive picture of the Arab Spring, with 61 per cent who said the Arab world was better off, an increase from 50 per cent in 2015.

“When (Abdel Fattah El) Sisi became president, Egypt was like this,” said Mohammed Adam, 28, as he made an upwards and downwards gesture with his hand.

“He needs help, but things are getting better.”

Looking for a brighter future, Mr Adam said he came to the UAE from Egypt in 2011, where he found a job in the construction industry.

For his compatriots in Egypt, he said the prospect of finding work for youth was “very difficult”.

“They want to leave,” he said. “They’ll accept anything as long as there is a salary at the end of the month.”

Another result from the survey was that a majority of respondents believed that political stability should take precedence over democracy.

Fifty three per cent agreed with the statement that, given the current situation in the region, “promoting stability is more important than promoting democracy”.

For those in the GCC region, that number rose to 62 per cent, but only 36 per cent of respondents in the Levant and Yemen agreed that stability trumped the promotion of democracy.

When respondents were asked if they agreed with the statement, “Arab leaders should do more to improve the personal freedom and humans rights of their people”, more than two-thirds were in agreement.

Sunil John, chief executive of Burson-Marsteller, said that while some could see it as “paradoxical” when contrasted with the desire for stability, it spoke of youngsters’ desire for personal freedom.

“When you look at the nature of youth, young people want to live a free life,” he said.

Male and female respondents were nearly equal (66 per cent and 68 per cent) in their agreement that Arab leaders should do more to promote women’s rights.

At the top, 90 per cent of respondents said Arab leaders should do more to improve the personal freedom and rights for women.

“They should talk more about us and less about themselves,” said Abu Dhabi resident Dina Solh, originally from Lebanon.

“They aren’t giving enough opportunities to youth and women,” she said.

“They have old ideas and old traditions. They aren’t looking at new ideas.”

“In these times, more women are getting educated, and they can still contribute more,” said Abu Dhabi resident Abdullah Bin Aqel, 23, who was originally from Yemen.

Following concerns over ISIL, respondents said terrorism, and civil unrest, unemployment, and the rising cost of living were the biggest obstacles facing the region.

Only 44 per cent of youth agreed with the statement “there are good job opportunities in the area I live in”.

For the fifth year in a row, respondents selected the UAE as the top country to live in and it was also cited as the top country respondents wanted their own nation to emulate.

“Safe and secure, has a growing economy, wide range of work opportunities, and generous salary packages”, were words respondents most strong associated with the UAE.

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