This Brief provides an overview of national youth policies in ESCWA member countries and underlines the importance of youth and gender integration in fostering sustainable development. It also includes an evaluation of gender mainstreaming in youth strategies, particularly in Bahrain and Palestine, by reviewing the National Youth Strategy (2005-2009) of Bahrain, and the Palestinian National Policy for Adolescents and Youth (2011-2013) and assessing the extent to which gender was taken into consideration in the analyses, objectives and issues proposed for action in those policies and documents and formulating recommendations to assist ESCWA member countries in raising awareness of gender issues and mainstreaming them into national policies and relevant indicators; and highlighting best practice and lessons learned and sharing them with Governments and other stakeholders in the region.