MENAACTION, established by a group of Middle Eastern youth, is a nonprofit organization advocating for the rights of Middle Eastern youth and the Middle East in general. MENAACTION is for youth by youth, focusing on issues of policy, advocacy, democracy and human rights. 

Youth in the Middle East face a number of issues including lack of agency in the political process, socioeconomic disenfranchisement, restrictions on human rights and personal freedoms. This is documented by many global indicators, including Freedom House. Additionally, young people in the Middle East are generally perceived as a burden on society, perpetrators or victims of violence, rather than an opportunity and agents for change and development.

Globally, only 1.9% of all elected representatives are under the age of 30 in spite of the fact that young people are voting more than before, and showing improvements in voter turnout rates, when compared to other age groups. Youth also face major restrictions on their personal freedoms particularly freedom of speech, as the number of young political prisoners is increasing on daily basis.

MENAACTION looks to build a vast network of young people in the region and Middle Eastern youth around the world. As such, our beneficiaries are primarily Middle Eastern youth, policy makers, relevant international organizations, and local civil society organizations. Our team brings a wide range of backgrounds including research, policy, advocacy, and media and journalism, and are fluent in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Amazigh, French, and English. MENAACTION combines academia with practical experience in research, analysis, advocacy, human rights, and media and journalism.

MENAACTION

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