Youth in Saudi Arabia

Youth in Saudi Arabia consist of citizens of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia who are between the ages of 15 and 24. In 2015, the estimated population was around twenty-seven million, and 19.11% of the population was between the ages of 15 and 24.

Religion impacts the lives of Saudi youth. The government enforces a strict form of Islam called Wahhabism as the national religion that affects the areas of family formation, education and political activism. Islam teaches youth that family should be central to their lives and to respect their parents. Education in Saudi Arabia largely focuses on learning Islam and memorization. These focuses contribute to the employment difficulties of youth because they are not learning the skills that employers are looking for. High cost of living and career opportunities were two primary concerns of youth in 2014.

King Abdullah's Public Education Development Program is working towards addressing the weaknesses of education, while King Salman aims to ensure that Saudi youth have better chances of finding employment through a policy called "Saudization".

Saudi youth have difficulties being active participants in politics because of the strict Wahhabi religious doctrine and possible punishments. Saudi youth do want a say in their country's political policies and are achieving this by using popular media. The Tenth Development Plan's objectives address ways in which youth can become involved in the development of the country.

Two health concerns that are present in Saudi youth are smoking and obesity. A 2011 study done in Riyadh found that smoking rates among Saudi youth were "high and alarming". Almost sixty percent of the Saudi population over sixteen was deemed obese in 2014.

No official national youth policy currently exists; however, the Ministry of Economy and Planning and the United Nations Development Programme worked together between 2009 and 2013 in order to make a "national youth strategy". The National Youth Strategy Project received $1,182,720 and aimed at "enhancing participation of youth in national development processes".

The Ninth Development Plan (2010–2014) has a youth section that talks about factors affecting youth and ways to improve their lives. Under the Ninth Developmental Plan, Saudi Arabia's primary governmental agency that is responsible for youth and youth programming is the General Presidency for Youth Welfare, which has a budget of $1.9 billion.

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