Arab Reform Initiative

🚨 Reminder: Bassma Kodmani Fellowship – Apply by January 15, 2025! We are inviting passionate researchers committed to Syria's democratic transition to apply for the inaugural Bassma Kodmani Fellowship. This one-year fellowship offers a unique opportunity to engage in in-depth research on Syria’s political, security, and human rights landscape, with the possibility of extension. The fellowship is open to candidates with a strong background in Syria, a commitment to human rights, and the ability to produce high-quality research. Applications are due by January 15, 2025. For full details and to apply, visit:https://lnkd.in/dBKv6uQP #BassmaKodmani #Fellowship #Syria #DemocraticTransition #ResearchOpportunity #ArabReformInitiative #PolicyResearch

We may be stepping into the new year a few days late (our team was on a much-needed self-care break), but these reflections from 2024 remain as crucial as ever. As we settle back in and look ahead, we wanted to share five lessons that continue to shape our collective understanding of the region—reminders that what we learned last year still guides us forward today. If you already caught these insights via our newsletter in 2024, thank you for staying connected. If not, you might be missing out—subscribe to get our future updates straight to your inbox: https://lnkd.in/dRtajcD7 "Two sets of images dominate this year’s end. Images of death and destruction, notably from the genocide in Gaza where Israel was attacking one of the last remaining hospitals in the north. But also, images of unbridled happiness from Syria’s public squares as the population celebrated the fall of Assad. Happiness tinged with tears as thousands of families with loved ones disappeared by the Assad regime come to the realization that their relatives will not emerge from the regime’s torture archipelago. 2024 has been challenging on so many fronts. For the region, but also for us as an institution with staff in Beirut and Tunis who had to adapt to ever shifting circumstances. As we wrap up this year, let me end on a personal thought. Gramsci’s “Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will” may be overused but it rings very true in our region today. In our work, we are confronted every day with the region’s challenges as well as the capacity of its people to meet new challenges, overcome them and move society forward. Our commitment at ARI is to accompany this step by step.”- Executive Director, Nadim Houry.

تتناول الحلقة الرابعة من جلسة سودانية أزمة الغذاء في السودان وانعدام الأمن الغذائي الذي يؤثر على أكثر من 25 مليون شخص، أي أكثر من نصف سكان السودان- مع قرابة 3.7 مليون طفل يعانون من سوء التغذية الحاد. وتستمر الأرقام في الارتفاع بسبب النزوح الجماعي، والوصول المحدود للمساعدات الانسانية، وتعطل خدمات الصحة والتغذية بسبب النزاع. تُعقد هذه الجلسة بمشاركة م. كارم عبد المنعم Karim Abdelmoneim، مسؤول السياسات والبرامج من برنامج الأغذية العالمي بالسودان، والاستاذ مصعب محجوب Musab Almahjoub، محامي وناشط سياسي ومدافع عن حقوق الانسان ومتحدث رسمي باسم مرصد شرق النيل لحقوق الإنسان، وفاعل ومتطوع في غرف الطوارئ. والدكتور عبدالله الخطيب، استاذ جامعي فى كلية الزراعة والغازات ببولندا، عضو مجلس ادارة منصة السودان للزراعة والامن الغذائي، وباحث ومتخصص فى التقنيات الحديثة فى الزراعة. وتستضيف الحلقة نور صلاح Noor Elfaki، باحثة البودكاست وطالبة الطب بجامعة الخرطوم، حيث تستعرض حجم وتأثيرات الأزمة، دور القطاع الزراعي وجهود ومبادرات غرف الطوارئ، الحلول الدولية ممثلة في برنامج الأغذية العالمي وأيضاً السياسات الموصى بها لتحقيق أمن غذائي مستدام. لسماع الحلقة: https://lnkd.in/emiv2a-j لمشاهدة الحلقة: https://lnkd.in/edE5NGcD World Food Programme Sudanese Center For Policy Studies #السودان #الأمن_الغذائي

في هذه الحلقة من جلسة سودانية نناقش قضية الانتهاكات الجسيمة لحقوق الإنسان في السودان، مع تسليط الضوء على تصاعد هذه الانتهاكات بسبب الصراع المستمر وتأثيرها على حياة المدنيين والمجتمعات والمؤسسات. كما تستعرض الحلقة أدوار المجتمع المدني في ظل العنف المستمر والمتزايد، ودور المؤسسات الإقليمية والمجتمع الدولي، وقضايا المحاسبة والعدالة وحماية المدنيين. تستضيف هذه الحلقة ويني عمر، باحثة وكاتبة نسوية، مؤسسة شريكة ومحررة بمجلة فريدة النسوية. حاصلة على درجة الماجستير في حقوق الإنسان وتعمل في مجالات تعزيز الفضاء المدني والمجموعات المدنية، وفي إنتاج المعارف النسوية. وبمشاركة كل من هدى شفيق، خبيرة في النوع الاجتماعي ومتخصصة في قضايا المرأة والأمن والسلام، تتمتع بخبرة تفوق عشر سنوات في تعزيز العدالة الجندرية، مشاركة المرأة السياسية، وبناء السلام. عملت مع منظمات وطنية ودولية ومع الأمم المتحدة، وركزت على قضايا النوع الاجتماعي وإدارة الموارد الطبيعية. تحمل بكالوريوس في العلوم السياسية وماجستير في التعايش وحل النزاعات من جامعة برانديز. ومحمد عثمان، باحث في شؤون السودان لدى منظمة هيومن رايتس ووتش، عمل سابقًا كمحامي ومدافع عن حقوق الإنسان في السودان، بالإضافة إلى العمل مع منظمات دولية مثل اللجنة الدولية للصليب الأحمر ومؤسسة المجتمع المفتوح. لمشاهدة الحلقة: https://lnkd.in/eqntwPE8 لسماع الحلقة: https://lnkd.in/emiv2a-j #السودان #حقوق_الإنسان Human Rights Watch Sudanese Center For Policy Studies Wini Omer Huda Shafig

“I have worked on a drawing (pen and ink on paper) while doing my research and the drawing is related to my topic. It is called "In Syria, the fate of the dispappred is in Pandora's box". My work is based on ‘Pandora’ by John William Waterhouse, 1896, but with a twist.” - Marianna Al Tabbaa (https://lnkd.in/dxZAX6ff) This paper by Marianna Al-Tabba, independent Syrian researcher and analyst, attempts to investigate and explore the extent to which lack of trust affects the formation of alliances as perceived by actors in the Syrian public sphere. It examines the nature of the existing relationships between Syrian institutions and organizations and their ability to build alliances around a specific demand or cause that unites them. Click here to download Marianna’s paper: https://lnkd.in/dj7Hx7Nz N.B This paper was written prior to the recent regime change. #Syria

Iraq is often described as one of the world's most vulnerable countries to climate change. Rising temperatures, water scarcity, and frequent sandstorms already disrupt everyday life, as thousands have faced heat waves, respiratory illnesses, and water shortages. Yet, as sociologist Zeinab Shuker aptly notes, "climate change for Iraq is not an abstract future threat; it is a measurable process." Decades of war, sanctions, and oil extraction have compounded Iraq's environmental degradation, collapsing vital infrastructure and intensifying inequality. Clean water and electricity shortages have sparked waves of national protests, turning environmental harm into a symbol of Iraq's failed social contract. Authors: Safaa Khalaf Iraqi investigative journalist and independent researcher Julia Choucair Vizoso Non-resident Senior Fellow (ARI) To download the complete report: https://lnkd.in/diyUGAsN #Iraq #ClimateChange

 The Bassma Kodmani Fellowship is a one-year research opportunity dedicated to advancing political and social change in Syria. Named after the late Dr. Kodmani, a visionary advocate for democratic transitions and inclusive governance, this fellowship continues her legacy of engaged scholarship and transformative research. We seek a committed researcher to analyze Syria’s political transition, addressing key issues in governance, human rights, and security. The fellowship offers a flexible location, with a significant focus on fieldwork in Syria as conditions allow. The selected fellow will join ARI’s dynamic team, producing high-impact research and policy recommendations while collaborating with an extensive network of regional and international partners. This is a unique opportunity to contribute meaningfully to Syria’s future while embodying Dr. Kodmani’s principles of justice, dialogue, and co-production of knowledge. For more details: https://lnkd.in/dBKv6uQP #Syria

في الحلقة الثانية من جلسة سودانية نتناول أزمة التعليم الابتدائي في السودان في ظل الحرب، بما في ذلك تدمير البنى التحتية للمدارس والتحديات التي تواجه المعلمين، الأطفال، وضعف التمويل في قطاع التعليم. كما نستعرض استجابة منظمات المجتمع المدني والدولي ونناقش الحلول الممكنة لضمان استمرار العملية التعليمية في بيئة آمنة. تستضيف الحلقة نور صلاح الدين الفكي، باحثة البودكاست وطالبة الطب بجامعة الخرطوم، بمشاركة الأستاذة خالدة صابر، المعلمة والناشطة النسوية من المنظمة السودانية لتطوير التعليم، وهبة جعفر Heiba Osman حاصلة على ماجستير السياسات العامة ومنسقة برامج التعليم. 🔹 للاستماع الى الحلقة: https://lnkd.in/ggK8-XUe Sudanese Center For Policy Studies #السودان #التعليم

🔍 Exploring the Shifting Dynamics in Syria Post-Assad As Syria undergoes significant changes following the recent fall of Assad, understanding the local dynamics is more crucial than ever. Join our upcoming webinar to dive deep into these transformative times. ❓ How are major local Syrian players asserting their agency amidst foreign influences? ❓ In what ways is HTS transforming its strategies to focus on local governance in Idlib? ❓ What are HTS and SNA aiming to achieve through their current military campaigns? ❓ How will the control of different armed groups impact the daily lives of Syrians in northern regions? ❓ What are the implications of the competing agendas between HTS, SNA, and SDF for the future of Syria? ❓ How might these local dynamics influence the broader political process and peace efforts in Syria? Join experts with in-depth knowledge of Syria’s complex landscape as they place Syrians and their demands at the center of the discussion. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of the forces shaping Syria’s future. 📅 Date: Thursday December 12 🕒 Time:4:00 PM Damascus Timer 🔗 Register Here:https://lnkd.in/d6pbH8Fd Experts: Nadim Houry Joseph Daher Rim Turkmani Patrick Haenni #Syria #WestAsia #Webinar #LocalDynamics #HTS #SNA #SDF #PoliticalProcess #ConflictResolution #SyrianFuture #Iran #Russia #Palestine

"To be honest, my first reaction is, this is a happy day for the syrians. a regime that has tortured, disappeared, killed, executed, used chemical weapons on its own people is no more. We can analyze. We know the road ahead is going to be very challenging. Syria is very complex, internally, but also complex regional dynamics, but I think it's important to recognize and to see the happiness and the agency that the Syrian population is feeling today." FRANCE 24's William Hilderbrandt interviews our Executive Director Nadim Houry, executive director of the Arab Reform Initiative Think Tank: https://lnkd.in/d4WRD8fD #AssadFalls #Syria