title: Youth in crisis in the Middle East and North Africa: a systematic literature review and focused landscape analysis.
abstract: Recent political and demographic factors have exposed the vulnerability of the youth in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This study aimed to elucidate the current needs, activities, stakeholders and solutions related to at-risk youth and young adults in the MENA region. A systematic literature review was conducted of the peer-reviewed and grey literature. This was complemented by an in-region landscape analysis involving key-informant interviews and focus group discussions. After extensive screening of 1160 unique articles, 275 articles were considered relevant to this study. Of these 275, 145 (52.7%) were related to health (64.8% of these related to mental health), 101 (36.7%) to livelihood, 87 (31.6%) to violence prevention and 68 (24.7%) to education. Important themes and challenges identified in the literature and discussions included the MENA region's growing youth bulge; youth unemployment; critical gender gaps; and the impact of conflict on livelihoods, education and health, especially mental health.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fehling
authors.affiliation: Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Z M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Jarrah
authors.affiliation: Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Tiernan
authors.affiliation: Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Albezreh
authors.affiliation: Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America; Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: VanRooyen
authors.affiliation: Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alhokair
authors.affiliation: Division of Global Health and Human Rights, Department of Emergency Medicine and Department of Paediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America; Division of Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000352:Africa, Northern; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D008877:Middle East; D012307:Risk Factors; D012940:Social Problems; D055815:Young Adult