Abu Dhabi, March 08: The second annual Arab Youth Survey conducted by PR major Asdaa Burson-Marsteller in association with international polling firm Penn Schoen & Berland Associates gives us quite an insight into the world of Arab Youth.
Here are a few highlights of the survey that covered 2,000 youth between ages of 18 and 24 from nine Middle Eastern countries:
1. Top three priorities: Democracy, high quality infrastructure and access to best universities – 99 per cent said living in a democracy is important.
2. Top three concerns: Rising cost of living, lack of affordable housing and unemployment – 67 per cent are concerned about the rising costs and 45 per cent for lack of affordable housing.
3. Seventy per cent of Arab youth consider themselves global citizens.
4. They are tech-savvy: Four out of five own mobile phones, sixty per cent use desktops or laptops and three in five use Internet at least once daily.
5. Google is the favourite website followed by Facebook and Yahoo.
6. Social networking is most preferred choice for keeping in touch with friends and relatives.
7. They are well informed: TV and newspaper are main sources of new, followed by Internet. Almost 50 per cent read a newspaper everyday – 49 per cent in Bahrain, 46 per cent in Kuwait and 29 per cent in the UAE.
8. Most youth are brand conscious, with Nokia being the most popular brand.
9. Less than one fifth spend their leisure time exercising or in any other physical activity, most prefer watching TV during free time. The fact seems to have some correlation with the regions alarming rates of obesity and diabetes.
10. Spending preferences: Clothing, mobile phones and dining out. Women are more likely to spend money on fahion/accessories.
11. Spending habits has left more than 25 per cent in debt, Saudi youth leading with 52 per cent. Credit cards are the source of most of the debt.
12. Most youth upbeat about the prospects of economic revival.
13. Two-thirds say their country is moving in right direction.
14. Most Youth in the Gulf prefer government jobs to private.
15. They prefer travelling close to home, with Gulf and Levant as preferred destinations.
16. Top ten airlines for youth are all Arab carriers.
17. Growing respect for China and India in response to shifting global economy.
18. Arab youth look within the region for national support.
–Agencies