Young people (aged under 30) constitute more than half (55%) of the population across MENA, compared with 36% of the population across OECD countries, and have demonstrated resilience to shocks and led positive change in their communities. However, while challenges vary significantly across the region, youth unemployment rates are among the highest in the world, young people tend to express low trust in public institutions, and nearly four in ten live in fragile and conflicted-affected areas. The COVID-19 crisis has further laid bare the structural challenges young people across the MENA region face in their transition to an autonomous life. Youth employment declined by 7.5% in 2020, access to education was disrupted for 110 million pupils and students, and – as in other regions – spaces for young people to form social connections and skills were no longer accessible due to lockdown and confinement measures. In a context of already low levels of trust in government among young people, the implications of the crisis may undermine not only young people’s future aspirations and opportunities, but also societal and economic progress across the region more broadly. These challenges have underscored the need to place the needs of young people at the centre of an inclusive and resilient recovery.