Arab Reform Initiative

Join us this Thursday for a compelling discussion with ARI's senior non-resident Palestinian fellows, Dr. Abdalhadi Alijla and Omar Shaban, alongside Inès Abdel Razek, o-Director of The Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy. Moderated by Dr. Alaa Tartir, PhD., Senior Researcher & Director of the MENA Programme at SIPRI, this exchange will offer in-depth perspectives on key dynamics shaping the reconstruction of #Gaza. https://lnkd.in/d-QYGGNU

📢 New Milestone for ARI’s #SocialProtection Hub! ARI’s Social Protection Program (SPP) is expanding its Arab Region Hub for Social Protection with four new resources, the latest News Digest, and the first annual open call for blog article submissions on Blog TADAMON. 🔹 New Resources Now Available: 📖 Glossary of Social Protection Terms (CSO-led, Arabic & English) 📜 Foundational Documents Collection (Key legal and policy instruments) 🌍 Resource Portals Compilation (Databases, dashboards, and toolkits) 📅 Events & Calendar Pages (Upcoming events, past discussions, and recurring gatherings) 💡 Blog TADAMON: Call for Submissions We invite researchers, activists, and policymakers to contribute insights on social protection in the Arab region. 📰 Fourth News Digest: “The Potential for Universal Social Security in 2025” This issue explores key social protection reforms, policy advancements, and ongoing reconstruction efforts shaping the region’s future. Stay informed, contribute, and explore these vital resources - SPP Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/d4Esru83 Visit our hub's website: https://lnkd.in/drw2wqv3 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dRtajcD7

Webinar Series: Palestine Insight | The Arab League’s Reconstruction Plan for Gaza: What Role for Palestinians? 📅 Thursday, March 20 ⏰ 10-11:30am CET | 11am-12:30pm Gaza 📍 Online The Arab League has proposed a reconstruction plan for Gaza, positioning “independent Palestinian technocrats” to manage the process, potentially replacing Hamas and paving the way for the Palestinian Authority’s return. While the plan has gained support from European countries, the U.S. has rejected it outright. This webinar will examine: 🔹 The key components of the Arab League’s proposal 🔹 How the plan is perceived in Gaza and among Palestinian actors 🔹 The prospects for a Palestinian-led reconstruction strategy 🔹 The political and humanitarian implications of the proposed governance model Join leading experts as they discuss the challenges and opportunities of this plan and explore paths toward an inclusive, Palestinian-driven rebuilding process. #GazaReconstruction #Palestine #ArabLeague

We’re proud to celebrate Shaimaa Magued, a past participant in ARI’s Public Policy and Active Citizenship program, for her latest contribution to policy studies! In her newly published review article, Shaimaa examines the French school in Public Policy Analysis and its relevance for researchers working within restrictive contexts in the Middle East. By emphasizing the socio-cognitive approach, qualitative methods, and the academic-bureaucratic division, she highlights how these analytical tools can offer new ways to navigate authoritarian policymaking environments. 📖 Read her work here: https://lnkd.in/dJivJmcr Check out Shaimaa's paper for ARI on the privatisation of Egypt's healthcare sectror: https://lnkd.in/dQC73gMW 👏 Congratulations, Shaimaa! #PolicyStudies #MiddleEast #PublicPolicy

As #climate_change disasters intensify and conflicts continue across the MENA region, the need to interweave our expertise and perspectives has never been greater. 📑A result of a fruitful and ongoing collaboration with Robert Bosch Stiftung, our latest publication—Participatory Approaches to Conflict, Climate_Collahange and Environment: Case Studies from the Middle East and North Africa—brings together leading voices to illuminate how community-driven solutions can transform these interlinked challenges. 💡Through compelling case studies—from #water_governance in #Jordan to the environmental toll of conflict in #Gaza—this report spotlights practical pathways toward resilience and sustainable peace in the #MENA region Researched and Written by: Abdalftah Hamed, MPP, MSc, Abeer AL Butmeh, Ahmed Al-wadaey, Asma Khalifa, Hussam Hussein, Sammy Kayed, Sarine Karajerjian, Shivan Fazil, Dr. Tobias Zumbrägel Reviewed by: Camille Mroue, Irene Weinz, Sammy Kayed, Sarine Karajerjian, Tobias Zumbraegel, Zaki Boulos To download the report: https://lnkd.in/gFSjq6Ap

بالتعاون مع شركائنا، المركز السوداني لدراسة السياسات، نقدم لكم هذا التقرير الهام حول "مسارات التصعيد لحرب أبريل وديناميات الاقتصاد السياسي في السودان". يقدم التقرير تحليلاً عميقاً للمسارات التصعيدية التي أدت إلى اندلاع حرب نيسان/أبريل 2023، مستنداً إلى إطار نظرية "عمليات التصعيد" لولفرام لاتشر. يُسلط التقرير الضوء على التداخل المعقد بين العوامل الهيكلية والسياسية والاقتصادية، ويبرز دور الاقتصاد السياسي في تحويل النزاع السياسي إلى حرب شاملة، مع التركيز على مفهوم "اعتماد المسار" وكيف ساهمت القرارات المبكرة في تأجيج الصراع. يدعو التقرير صنّاع القرار والباحثين إلى تبني مقاربة شمولية لفهم أبعاد الأزمة السودانية، والعمل على تطوير سياسات تضمن تحقيق الاستقرار والسلام على المدى الطويل. لقراءة التقرير: https://lnkd.in/du72ayX3 (The English version of this report will be published soon) Sudanese Center For Policy Studies Mohamed Nagi Alassam salih mustafa #السودان

We are pleased to launch our first annual call for blog article submissions for the Arab Region Hub for Social Protection ( https://lnkd.in/d59SfMXB) - Blog TADAMON (https://lnkd.in/ddWQ7Wim), an open platform dedicated to fostering dialogue, sharing insights, and exchanging knowledge on #social_protection in the Arab region. We invite researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and activists passionate about social protection to contribute their thoughts, research findings, case studies, policy analyses, and reflections on contemporary challenges and emerging trends in social protection in the region. We are soliciting blog articles on the following topics: __The Potential for Social Protection Reforms Key social protection reforms that can/ should be rapidly implemented in Arab countries, considering policy advancements, pending legislations, and recent political developments, including ongoing reconstruction efforts where relevant. Articles may focus on one or more reforms, either addressing a national context or offering a regional perspective. Main countries of interest: Egypt, GCC countries, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Sudan, Syria, and Tunisia. __Social Protection for Vulnerable and Marginalized Groups Required reforms to expand social protection coverage to excluded population groups with a focus on key vulnerable groups: children, elderly, informal workers, LGBTQ+ communities, migrant workers, people with disabilities, refugees, rural populations, the urban poor, women, and youth. Articles may examine a single social category or adopt an intersectional approach that explores overlaps between multiple groups. Contributions may also analyze the intersection between the potential for social protection reforms and the specific needs of vulnerable communities. __Submission Guidelines & Selection Process: · Articles should be between 1000 and 1500 words. · Submissions are accepted in Arabic or English and will be published in their original language. · Authors should aim to provide policy recommendations where relevant. · Submit your article via email to socialprotectionhub@arab-reform.net with the subject line: "[Your Name], Blog Article Submission 2025." · Submission deadline: April 2, 2025. You can find the submission guildelines and selection criteria here: https://lnkd.in/dtzf4mCn We Value Your Feedback! We also welcome your input on future themes and invite you to share your feedback via this form: https://lnkd.in/dYQzy6PU - Your insights will help us improve Blog TADAMON and future calls for submissions. We look forward to receiving your submissions and engaging with your ideas to advance comprehensive and universal social protection in the Arab region.

Women and Climate Change in the Context of Regional Instability: Lebanon and Syria "In both #Syria and #Lebanon, women in vulnerable communities experience heightened risks of gender-based violence, reduced access to education and healthcare, and increased responsibilities in securing household livelihoods as environmental and political crises unfold." - ARI's Environmental Politics Program Director, Sarine Karajerjian Sarine has contributed to European Institute of the Mediterranean's latest policy dossier, 'Climate Crisis and Gender Equality: Emerging Security Risks in the Euro-Mediterranean Region'. This targeted publication examines how climate change worsens gender disparities in conflict-affected regions like Lebanon and Syria. Sarine’s analysis highlights the West Asia/North Africa region's heightened vulnerability to environmental stressors—such as rising temperatures and prolonged droughts—and calls for policies that empower women and enhance long-term resilience. https://lnkd.in/d7YqUrNe #ClimateChange #Gender

🇩🇿 Algeria’s Power Shift: Is the Military Back in Control? With Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s landslide re-election, Algeria enters a new phase—but is it truly a "New Algeria" or just a return to military dominance in civilian affairs? 🔹 How has the army quietly tightened its grip on governance since Bouteflika’s fall? 🔹 What does Tebboune’s second term signal for political freedoms and economic stability? 🔹 Is Algeria’s leadership stuck in a cycle of controlled elections, repression, and economic stagnation? 🔹 With presidential succession looming, will the regime adapt or risk new turbulence? In this in-depth analysis, policy expert Aghiles Aït-Larbi unpacks Algeria’s shifting power dynamics, questioning whether the country is heading for continuity or crisis. 📖 Read the full commentary here: https://lnkd.in/dTS2DcSN What do you think—does Algeria’s political future look stable, or is more upheaval on the horizon? Share your thoughts! 👇 #Algeria

🌍 EU-GCC Relations in 2025: Time for Action? After a year of unprecedented diplomatic engagement—from high-level summits and security dialogues to economic partnerships and new initiatives—one key question remains: Will this momentum lead to tangible outcomes, or will EU-GCC relations remain confined to diplomatic statements? 🔹 What major achievements in EU-GCC relations have gone unnoticed? 🔹 How can both blocs move beyond bureaucracy and foster a results-driven partnership? 🔹 Is the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution a model for effective political collaboration? 🔹 What role can trade and investment play in strengthening ties beyond political sensitivities? In this commentary, historian Bader Al-Saif examines what 2025 holds for EU-GCC relations and lays out a roadmap for transforming words into action across politics, economics, and integrated security. 📖 Read the full analysis here: https://lnkd.in/eu5JuPNw