Dubai foundation to provide jobs for refugees, displaced youth in Arab countries

A new initiative focused on “jobs, not handouts” has been launched to provide training and employment opportunities for nearly 7,000 young people, at least half of them women, across Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria.

The model is the result of a partnership between the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation (AGF) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

The programme will equip participants with market-relevant skills,Business English, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship support. Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair Refugee Education Fund is leading the implementation, working with Glocalshift and in coordination with IFC’s 1001 Stars project to engage private sector employers.

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.

Speaking at the launch during the 1001 Stars Jobs4All Forum in Dubai, Dr Sonia Ben Jaafar, CEO of the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation, said the aim was to shift from temporary aid to long-term opportunity.

Jobs4All Forum in Dubai

“Opportunity is not given, it’s built. This is about mobilising employers, educators, investors, and communities around the shared goal of building livelihood opportunities that are dignified and resilient to the volatility of fragile environments,” she said.

The initiative is designed to respond to the needs of refugee, internally displaced, and marginalised youth in fragile Arab states, where unemployment remains among the highest in the world. IFC Vice President Hela Cheikhrouhou said the partnership addresses an urgent challenge.

“Across the Middle East, forcibly displaced individuals are striving to overcome exceptionally difficult circumstances. IFC is proud to partner with the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation on this important initiative, working alongside private enterprises to expand access to skills and jobs that create dignified livelihood opportunities.”

IFC’s 1001 Stars project, launched in 2024, brings together companies from across the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Pakistan to create thousands of jobs and training opportunities for marginalised groups. With advisory support, it helps employers integrate women, youth, people with disabilities, and displaced communities into their workforces.

Jobs in UAE, GCC: 94% firms plan to hire with Arabs, Indians, Filipinos in high demand UAE hosted over 17,500 Afghan refugees since 2021 before their final relocation UAE: Some firms allow working from abroad for up to a year; eligible roles revealed