Palestine’s Youth: Born into Conflict, Working for a Brighter Future

This week’s podcast features Lana Abu-Hijleh, who is the Palestine Country Director for Global Communities and a member of the CSIS Forced Migration Task Force. Lana shares the struggles she faced pursuing a career as an engineer growing up in Palestine and her inspiration for returning home. Palestine has made great strides in education, lowering the illiteracy rate to around 2 percent. In addition, 41 percent of college graduates in Palestine are women. Lana was named One of the Top 100 Inspiring Women in the World in 2015 by BBC. Lana also shares her perspective on the global migration crisis. 5.2 million Palestinians are still registered as refugees today, but she remains optimistic. 52 percent of the population in the West Bank and Gaza is under the age of 25 years old. Through programs like the Global Communities Youth Local Council in the West Bank, Palestinian youth begin to understand the crucial role they play in the leading their country forward. Lana explains, “Refugee is just a status that is temporary and should end.” Tune in to hear more from our guest Lana Abu-Hijleh by listening to the full podcast.