Young Communities and the Impact of Wars and Conflicts on the Healthy Growth of Young People: Middle East as a Model Study

Abstract

Wars and armed conflicts throughout history is the most serious and the biggest factor on demographic changes of human societies, especially those that live in a state of constant conflict over different time periods or continuously. The world has witnessed many wars and conflicts that led to the deaths of millions of people, mostly children and youth. Despite the presence of many local and international agreements to protect the civilians in times of conflict and war, however it loses its effectiveness since the first day of the war. The society called Middle East, is one of societies that deserve special study. A society worthy of studying the impact of wars on it because from the beginning it has been a young society witnessing wars and conflicts continuously for decades. Despite the impact of the war on all segments of society, however, the young people deserve a special study since it is run by the conflict and are consequentially affected directly and indirectly in its sustainability. The young people are most likely to be killed, disabled, imprisoned or engaged in terrorist organizations, and militias. All of this in an atmosphere of instability and the absence of physical, psychological and social rehabilitation and the consequent chronic problems lead to improperly growth of the largest class in the society. This paper will address the impact of war and conflict on young people in the Middle East, including discussing topics of youth unemployment and participation in wars and conflicts and its impact on the healthy growth of the younger generation in the Middle East in general. In light of this study, there will be thrown many proposals that could contribute to the healthy growth of the younger generation within the Middle East region in the long term.