(MENAFN- The Peninsula) A majority of Arab youth see the rise of IS as a major threat facing the region, shows a regional survey that covered a number of Arab and GCC states including Qatar.
The 7th Annual ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey also indicated that, with the setbacks facing the Arab Spring revolutions, Arab youth are less confident about the prospects of democracy in the region.
The rise of IS - also known as Daesh, the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and Levant- is a major concern for Arab youth with nearly three in four (73 percent) concerned with the extremist group's growing influence and almost two in five (37 percent) citing it as the biggest obstacle facing the region.
At the same time, fewer than half (47 percent) are confident their national government can deal with this new threat.
Thirty nine per cent of the respondents believe that "democracy will never work in the region" while 36 percent expressed the opposite view. The remaining 25 percent said they were not sure.
Asked to name the biggest obstacles facing the region, just 15 percent cited "lack of democracy," down from 38 percent in 2014, 43 percent in 2013 and 41 percent in 2012. In 2011, "living in a democracy" was the most important desire for 92 percent of Arab youth polled.
Similarly, confidence among youth that the Arab Spring would bring positive change across the region is declining. In 2015, just 38 per cent agree that the Arab world is better off following the Arab Spring, compared to 54 percent in 2014, 70 percent in 2013, and 72 percent in 2012.
While youth view the Arabic language as central to their national identity, many believe it is losing its value and converse more in English. Three in four (73 percent) agree that the Arabic language is central to their identity meanwhile almost half (47 percent) believe it is losing its value and one in three (34 percent) disagree.
Significantly, 36 per cent of young Arabs use English more than Arabic on a daily basis. The phenomenon is particularly prevalent in the GCC where 56 percent say they use English more than Arabic, versus 24 percent in non-GCC countries.
As unemployment remains a major concern in the region, many young Arabs are keen to start their own business. When asked to comment on how concerned they are about unemployment, the majority (81 percent) say they are "concerned". Nearly two in five (39 percent) young Arabs are looking to start a business within the next five years, with technology and retail being the most popular sectors.
Saudi Arabia is seen as the top ally in the region, followed by the United States and the United Arab Emirates. When asked to think about their country's biggest ally, Arab youth cite Saudi Arabia for the fourth year running. The US and the UAE are close second and third choices at 23 and 22 percent, respectively.
International polling firm Penn Schoen Berland (PSB) conducted 3,500 face-to-face interviews with exclusively Arab national men and women aged 18-24 in the six GCC countries of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain; Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Yemen. The interviews were conducted from January 20 to February 12 , this year.
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