This paper explores the costs associated with youth exclusion in the Middle East by providing estimates of the economic costs to society related to youth unemployment, youth joblessness, school dropouts, adolescent pregnancy, and youth migration. The paper provides country-specific estimates of the costs of youth exclusion by using the human capital approach to valuing economic costs.

The Women’s Commission traveled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in May 2008 to research Burmese refugee women’s economic coping strategies and how that impacted their vulnerability to gender-based violence. The delegation looked at programs currently being implemented by the humanitarian community in Kuala Lumpur in order to identify whether or not refugee women’s economic coping strategies were being supported by livelihoods interventions. Additionally, the delegation looked at whether or not those interventions include gender-based violence prevention or protection components.

This paper considers the situation of youth and adolescents affected by war and displacement throughout the world, and provides a summary of the key issues to be explored with regards to their protection.