Social Policy & Development11 March 2026
Youth, Labor Markets, and the Policy Gap
Demographic momentum is outpacing job creation. What credible policy responses look like across differing state capacities.
Middle EastHorn of Africa
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Practice Area
Social Policies & Development
Social, economic, and development challenges affecting governments, communities, and institutions across the region.
Overview
What we do
Development outcomes in the region are shaped as much by institutional capacity and political settlement as by programme design. Our social policy work evaluates how policies are actually implemented, who they reach, and where delivery breaks down. We support ministries, donors, development organizations, and research institutions with evidence that is usable — grounded in field data, comparable across countries, and honest about uncertainty.
Expertise
Key areas of expertise
Social policy & public services
Design, delivery, and evaluation of social protection, health, and education policy.
Labor markets & youth
Employment structures, skills mismatch, and demographic pressure on job creation.
Migration & displacement
Movement corridors, host-community dynamics, and the institutions responding to them.
Humanitarian analysis
Needs assessment, access constraints, and the interface between relief and development.
Institutional development
Governance capacity, administrative reform, and accountability mechanisms.
Economic inclusion
Financial access, informality, and pathways into formal economic participation.
Services
How we support clients
- Social policy
- Education
- Labor markets
- Migration
- Youth development
- Humanitarian issues
- Institutional development
- Economic inclusion
- Public policy research
Regional relevance
Across the Middle East and Horn of Africa, young populations are growing faster than formal employment, and displacement is reshaping the demography of entire provinces. We situate every policy question inside that structural reality rather than treating it as a technical exercise.
Insights
Featured analysis
Social Policy & Development5 February 2026
Migration Corridors and Institutional Response
Mapping movement across the Horn of Africa and the institutional frameworks struggling to keep pace with it.
Horn of Africa
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Discuss a social policies & development engagement
Tell us about your question, market, or region. We will respond with a scoped approach and a realistic view of what research can answer.