Labour markets and the Arab spring: widening gaps among aspirations, capabilities and opportunities

The tragic self-immolation of Abdel-Aziz Bouazizi, a young educated Tunisian, whose repeated attempts to find a decent job and a livelihood were shattered, was more than a symbolic trigger of youth-led protests in several countries and territories in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), commonly called the “Arab Spring”. It brought to the fore the more profound roots of protests embedded in the social and economic developments in the region and, in particular, the limited opportunities in labour markets.

Related Subject(s): Economic and Social Development