Justice & Dignity for the Middle East & North Africa

Civil Society Strengthening, Gender, Media Development, Technology for Development, Youth, Middle East and North Africa

The Justice & Dignity for the Middle East & North Africa program employs a collaborative approach to respond to the needs of activists and civil society organizations working in transitional environments across the region.

With funding from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) and alongside eight partners with expertise in human rights, technology and citizen action, IREX and its consortium are implementing short-term projects that respond to immediate needs articulated by groups on the ground. In addition to developing its own initiatives, IREX serves as the lead member of the consortium.

Project Partners

Rights-Based Capacity Team

• The International Center for Religion and Diplomacy (ICRD)
• The World Institute on Disability (WID)
• The Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA)

Technology Innovation Team

• FrontlineSMS
• Digital Democracy (Dd)

Citizen Action Team

• Center for Applied Non-Violent Action and Strategies (CANVAS)
• No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ)
• The Global Political Trends Center of Istanbul's Kültür University (GPOT)

Goals

The overarching goal of the program is to effectively respond to immediate rights-related needs emerging across the Middle East region. IREX and its partners' approach has the following key characteristics:

• Access existing regional networks and extensive contacts in the MENA region

• Provide assistance to local, rights-focused organizations that seek effective ways to conduct their work

• Offer innovation with fresh ideas and cutting-edge models from each of the consortium partners

• Be quick and agile in responding to crises as they arise or evolving needs with an understanding of the issues in the MENA region and existing networks and organizational contacts on the ground

• Serve as a valuable expertise resource for DRL, responding to identified issues and priorities with grounded expertise, research and analysis, and periodic meetings with the consortium to allow for pro-active and innovative responses

• Deliver mature and professional project management focused on results-based reporting and cost-effective techniques

Background

In June 2011, IREX carried out an eight-country assessment of the changing conditions in the Middle East and North Africa. IREX met with long-standing and new partners, including: digital activists, returning exiles, young civil society leaders, long-time human rights advocates, Facebook journalists, independent candidates, new government officials, and business leaders.

Among activists, there is some degree of shock at how fast the change came where it finally did, and uncertainty about how to achieve what needs to occur next. Among citizens working for core rights, the need for tools, strategies, and support is only amplified. With an ear toward local voices and ideas, the Justice & Dignity program works with groups in the MENA region to identify rights-based issues and provides technical assistance for viable local solutions.

Project Activities

• Respond to emerging needs in the MENA region as citizens seek change and governments make reforms. IREX and its partners will undertake numerous projects in the region.

• Advocate for Morocco: Engaging Civil Society for Reform project. Together with partners CEDPA and WID, IREX is conducting an assessment of the CSOs representing marginalized groups in Morocco. The project provides targeted and customized technical assistance to two rights-based, mission-driven civil society organizations, selected on the basis of the assessment. IREX and its partners are assisting the organizations with developing plans to advocate their missions to Morocco's newly elected parliamentarians.

Contact

menajd@irex.org