1.2217641-857757352
Image Credit: Creative Commons

The UAE remains the top country that Arab youth want to live in and want their own countries to emulate, according to a report.

More than one-third of the survey participants chose the UAE as the best country to live in, over countries such as the United States and Canada, ranked second and third respectively.

Safety, security and career opportunities: Among young Arabs, the UAE is a role model for their own nations, and the country in which they would most like to live.  Gulf News

For the seventh year running, young Arabs see the UAE as a role model for their own nations, and as the country in which they would most like to live. Youth cite safety, security and career opportunities as the attributes they most associate with the UAE.

Twenty three per cent of the respondents feel that UAE offers a high quality education system while 21 per cent agree that the country is a good place to raise a family.

The 10th annual ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey 2018 explores the attitudes of young Arabs from over 16 countries in the Mena region. The findings were arrived at after 3,500 face-to-face interviews from January 21 to February 20.

Reform and changes from Saudi

Young Arabs surveyed for the report expressed a high level of confidence in Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his leadership. 

They also support the Kingdom’s anti-corruption campaign and his ambitious plans for reform.

The Saudi government’s decision to lift the ban on women driving receives strong support among Arab youth across gender and geographic lines. However, the vast majority of young Arabs, and particularly in Saudi Arabia, want their governments to do more to improve the personal freedoms and human rights of women.

Daesh and its impact on life in the region

Arab youth say the rise of Daesh and the Arab Spring are the two events that have had the biggest impact on the region over the past decade; both are seen to have impacted the region negatively.

However, youth in the region increasingly say that Daesh is getting weaker while expressing a growing sense of confidence in the government’s ability to deal with the terrorist organisation. The majority are convinced Daesh and, more importantly, its ideology will be wiped out in the region.