FutureWORKS Collective - SWANA Hub

In the Arab States, AI is more likely to upgrade your job than eliminate it, but only if you're a man. Women hold 3x the share of jobs at risk of AI automation (5.3%) vs. men (1.6%), yet also stand to benefit most from AI augmentation. Without gender-targeted reskilling policies, the digital transition risks deepening SWANA's already stark labor market inequalities. Read the full ILO report to understand how Arab States can turn AI into an engine of women's economic inclusion. ilo.org/publications/n… #FutureOfWork #MENA #AI #GenderEquality #DigitalEconomy #ArabStates

Still time to apply! The Early Career Scholars Program at @SWANA_FoWHub is accepting applications for 2026–2027. Hosted by @AUB_Lebanon, this fully funded opportunity is designed for PhD candidates and recent grads working on AI, climate change, and the future of work in SWANA. Apply here: aub.edu.lb/ifi/Pages/SWAN…

Arab youth unemployment sits near 26% and automation is arriving before the labor market has fixed the basics. The 2025 Arab Development Report finds that 11 million young people in the region are outside education, employment, or training while informality exceeds 60% of total employment in several economies. This isn't just a jobs crisis; it's a skills architecture crisis. Digitalization without structural reform will widen, not close, the gap for Arab youth. Read the full report to explore why the region's youth bulge could be its greatest asset or its deepest vulnerability depending on policy choices made now. theforum.erf.org.eg/2025/11/17/ara… #FutureOfWork #SWANA #YouthEmployment #Jobs #SkillsGap #MENA

Climate policy is becoming labor market policy. Recent regional work shows that the green transition is expected to create jobs in energy, infrastructure, and adaptation, while simultaneously displacing workers in carbon-intensive sectors. In SWANA, one of the most climate-vulnerable regions, the Future of Work will be shaped by: energy transition, infrastructure shifts, and climate resilience jobs Read more to explore how climate change is restructuring labor demand across the region: worldbank.org/ext/en/topic/c… #FutureOfWork #GreenJobs #ClimateEconomy #SWANA #EnergyTransition

The Middle East workforce is adopting AI faster than the global average. Recent surveys show 75% of workers in the region used AI tools at work in the past year, compared with 69% globally, reflecting rapid digital transformation across the region. This shift is already redefining productivity, skills, and workplace expectations across MENA. Read more about how AI adoption is shaping the region’s workforce: gccbusinesswatch.com/news/middle-ea… #FutureOfWork #AIinMENA #DigitalTransformation #WorkplaceInnovation

AI is not just changing jobs: it’s changing the skills workers need. A recent article published by the IMF "New Skills and AI Are Reshaping the Future of Work" highlights that around 1 in 10 job vacancies in advanced economies now requires new skills linked to AI and digital technologies, reshaping hiring patterns and wages. For MENA, preparing workers for AI-complementary skills will be central to the Future of Work. Read the full article to explore how AI is transforming labor markets and why policy choices matter: imf.org/en/blogs/artic… #FutureOfWork #AI #Skills #LabourMarkets #MENA

Real-time labor data is the next frontier of FoW insight. LinkedIn’s Jan 2026 Labor Market Report "Building a Future of Work That Works" shows which skills employers are actively hiring for today, not just predicting them. In MENA, the most in-demand skills are digital fluency, hybrid collaboration, and analytical problem-solving; skills that link directly to opportunity. Read the full report: economicgraph.linkedin.com/content/dam/me… #LinkedInData #FutureOfWork #SkillsEconomy #MENA

AI is no longer a future concept; it’s reshaping work today across the Middle East. The FoW Middle East Trends report finds that AI adoption is accelerating across sectors, creating new roles and dissolving old ones. The message for MENA hubs: invest in adaptive, not static, skill sets. Read the full article:mena-speakers.com/articles/futur… #FutureOfWork #AIinMENA #TechTransformation #SkillsShift

@ifi_aub @AUB_Lebanon @ICARDA @IDRC_CRDI @JJNglobal @DinaNajjar4 @Ali_Abboud87 @jobahout @mouradyara7

4/4 In rural Morocco, strengthening women-led cooperatives means shifting from marginalization to shared governance. The brief highlights policy actions to promote leadership, equity, and long-term sustainability.

1/4 New policy briefs by ICARDA explore how to strengthen women-led agricultural cooperatives across Lebanon, Tunisia, and Morocco. From building resilience in fragile contexts to advancing inclusive participation and shared leadership, the briefs highlight practical policy pathways to empower rural women and reinforce sustainable agricultural institutions in the MENA region. #WomenInAgriculture #MENA #InclusiveGrowth #RuralDevelopment #FutureOfWork

How do we measure AI’s exposure in the labour market ? At a recent @FutureworksAsia knowledge sharing session, researchers unpacked the methods behind AI exposure estimates and why Global South contexts need tailored approaches. Read the full article tinyurl.com/3br27jwv

Wishing you a blessed and peaceful Ramadan! May this holy month bring you joy, prosperity, and countless blessings. 🌙✨ رمضان كريم 🌙✨ نتمنى أن يملأ هذا الشهر الفضيل أيامكم بالصحّة والخير والبرَكة.

⏰ Applications Are Still Open! The Early Career Scholars Program at the @SWANA_FoWHub is still accepting applications for the 2026–2027 academic year! Hosted at @AUB_Lebanon, this fully funded program supports PhD candidates and recent graduates researching AI, climate change, and the future of work in the SWANA region. 📍 Based in Lebanon, you’ll join a dynamic research community, receive expert mentorship, and connect with the global FutureWORKS Collective network. Apply now: aub.edu.lb/ifi/Pages/SWAN…

#AI won’t transform organizations built for a pre-AI world. AI-first leaders redesign #work, teams and value creation around intelligence itself. weforum.org/stories/2026/0…

📰While 2026 is already in full swing, we invite you to take a step back to revisit the Institute’s 2025 highlights for a brief recap of last year's main news and look ahead to what will guide us in the year ahead. 🔗aub.edu.lb/ifi/Documents/… 📩Don't forget to subscribe to our mailing list to receive all our news and updates straight to your mailbox! 🔗lb.benchmarkemail.com/listbuilder/si… You can find all previous issues of our newsletter here: aub.edu.lb/ifi/Pages/Inst…