Young people represent a significantasset in economic terms alone; they can contribute toproductivity, increased consumption, and income taxes. Butyouth are also an important asset for social change andinnovation. Arab youth see themselves as change agents, withyoung women as likely to be key to future progress as youngmen. Young people constitute well over half of Middle Eastand North Africa's (MENA's) population. Over 30percent of MENA's population, 100 million individualswere between 15 and 29 years of age in 2007. This can be ademographic opportunity if countries had a majority of youthenter their productive peak while the elderly populationstill remains small. These windows of opportunity willremain open in MENA for nearly 10 years. In Iraq, Yemen andWest Bank and Gaza, the window will be open beyond 2050.
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