Completed MEPI Local Grants

The following provides information on ongoing MEPI local grant projects throughout RO Abu Dhabi region of coverage. 

JORDAN

Land and Human to Advocate Progress (LHAP): “Human Rights and Democracy in Action in Northern Jordan Valley Schools” - LHAP expands and makes sustainable a previous-year MEPI local grant to create student Parliaments in schools in the Jordan Valley; train the elected students on democracy issues and guide their operation; and train teachers to incorporate democracy, human rights, and civic engagement principles into their classroom instruction.  Three youth centers are tapped to participate fully in expanding the project to more schools, and their participating staff members are trained as trainers. 

World-Links Arab Region (WLAR):  “Arab Region Learning Center Portal” - WLAR educates and trains school teachers in the Arab world on integrating the use of computers and the internet into classroom curricula and instruction. The project also creates an online portal in Arabic that enables schoolteachers from throughout the region to communicate and collaborate with one another on lessons, projects, and teaching methods.

Sharhabeel Ben Hasna Association (SBHA):  “Rights Advocacy Campaign for Those with Special Needs” - The project advocates for the rights of disabled persons living in the Jordan Valley area, heightening public awareness of the issues concerning disabled individuals, and leading a community campaign to lobby public officials to better accommodate the rights and needs of this neglected sector of society.  The program examines the issue from a social, cultural and legal perspective. 

Land & Human ro Advocate Progress (LHAP): "Democracy in Action in North Badia" - LHAP is adding 3 additional schools to a human rights and democracy project in the Northern Badia of Jordan in Mafraq Governorate. The project is comprised of forming a school parliament for each semester in each school, training both teachers and elected school parliamentarians, furnishing school libraries each with 50 books about human rights and democracy, convening as one school parliament, visiting the Jordanian parliament in Amman, and issuing a human rights newsletter after electing an editorial committee twice per academic year. The activities are designed to foster students' awareness of democratic issues and enhance critical thinking.

Community Development Center:  "Mother's Advocates: A Women's Empowerment Project" - The project goal is to create a framework where mothers will learn how to advocate for their children, enabling them to advocate for themselves and help others to do the same. This project works in conjunction with mothers to provide information and develop the skills necessary in order to negotiate effectively with school administrations and other educational institutions.

KUWAIT

The Women’s Network: “Make Your Right to Vote Count” - The Women’s Network urges women in Kuwait to vote through publication of an educational voting leaflet outlining voting rights and procedures.  A one-page, two-sided leaflet is distributed to 200,000 women before the June 29 parliamentary elections.  Side one urges women to use their newly-acquired right to vote, and includes bullet points regarding a  woman’s right and duty to vote as Kuwaiti citizens; the fact that Islam does not prohibit a woman's vote; and quotes from Kuwaiti, Arab, and religious leaders condemning vote buying.  Side two focuses on process, and includes key voting day instructions, including the voting locations and procedures, as well as information about the ballot and the proper way to complete it.  Subsequent to elections, a scientific poll of a random sample of eligible Kuwaiti women voters will examine what determined each woman’s decision to vote or not vote, and what impact the leaflet and its message had on each woman’s decision to vote.

"Political Education Brochure for Kuwaiti Women" - This grant supports the production of a political education brochure for Kuwaiti women. The goal is to increase women's participation in the political process, thereby strengthening the democratic reform process.

Luthan Youth Activities Center (LOYAC):  "Summer Training and Activities for Kuwaiti Youth" - LOYAC will organize a summer training and activities session for Kuwaiti youth. The training sessions are organized through awareness committees, grouping teams of youth from diverse socio-economic backgrounds to work together on issues important to civil society and civic participation in Kuwait. The students gain substantive skills as well as notions of civic participation through community service. The program aims to encourage political activity and participation in community service.

"Survey of Kuwaiti Women" - The project goal is to identify the views of Kuwaiti citizens on women's participation in public life. The project will undertake in-depth, quantitative surveying to gauge the support for women's full exercise of their political rights. The results will be used to identify issues of concern, assist women running for office in building platforms and advise the candidates of the public expectations for their performance as leaders.

Martha Steffens, University of Missouri journalism professor, in partnership with the Kuwait Journalists Association: “Parliamentary Elections Coverage & Reporting Effectively” - Martha Steffens, facilitated by the Kuwait Journalists Association, provides training to media professionals through workshops to improve the ability of journalists and editors in Kuwait to report effectively and ethically on parliamentary campaigns and election day events.  A follow-up phase trains journalists on covering the activities of parliament and parliamentarians.  Samples of pre and post workshop reporting are compiled and used as instructional tools.  The project produces a manual for distribution to all participants and KJA members, and a journalist's code of ethics.

Cinemagic Scholarship Program - This scholarship program assists students from marginalized groups or economically disadvantaged areas to express themselves through film. Project participants will create civic-minded films aimed at Kuwaiti youth on environmental and health. These films will be shown at a Kuwaiti cinema, and may be eligible for additional cinema screenings.

Oman

Emirates American Consulting and Training Center (EACTC): “Promoting Stronger Unions through Elections” – The EACTC introduces and helps incorporate the internal and external democratic processes of labor unions for the newly-formed workers committees that constitute the Oman Main Representative Committee (MRC) for Labor Relations.  EACTC conducts two workshops for MRC members: The first workshop focuses on organizing and carrying out elections for the national body of MRC. The second workshop examines the function and the role of unions in civil society.  The project produces manuals to support the activities of the MRC's leaders and members.

Oman Association for Consumer Protection:  "Promoting Consumer Rights in Oman" - This project enables the Oman Association for Consumer Protection to conduct information sessions for the public, obtain expertise from a U.S. counterpart organization, build their constituency, and establish networks with other consumer organizations in the region and the world.

QATAR

Martha Steffens, University of Missouri journalism professor, in partnership with Qatar University: “Parliamentary Elections Coverage & Reporting Effectively” - Martha Steffens, facilitated by Qatar University, provides training to media professionals through workshops to improve the ability of journalists and editors in Qatar to report effectively and ethically on parliamentary campaigns and election day events.  A follow-up phase trains journalists on covering the activities of parliament and parliamentarians.  Samples of pre and post workshop reporting are compiled and used as instructional tools.  The project produces a manual for distribution to all participants and Qatar media outlets, and a journalist's code of ethics.

Moza Al Malki Training and Consultation Center: "Get Out the Vote: New Women Activists Seek Women Voters" - The project provided a voter education program through the Moza Al Maliki Training and Consultation Center encouraging women to exercise their right of political participation ahead of the April 2007 Central Municipal Council's election. The Center drew upon women university students to distribute a Get-Out-The-Vote leaflet and to conduct a survey on women's political participation in Qatar.  The Center will produce a summary and analysis from its survey on the reasons women did not register and/or did not vote, and suggest messages and strategies for an effective women's voter registration/GOTV effort ahead of national elections in 2008.  

SAUDI ARABIA

“Engendering Volunteerism, Activism, and Social Responsibility in Saudi Women” – Ms. Falimban conducts a training program to educate young women on how to play an active role in society through volunteering for community service programs that focus on global issues. These young women use their newly learned skills to carry out their own public awareness campaigns – in schools, universities, and public gathering places on various global issue days, such as International Women’s Day, World Health Day, World Environment Day, and the International Day of Disabled Persons.

Samia Falimban:  “Engendering Volunteerism, Activism, and Social Responsibility in Saudi Women” – Ms. Falimban conducts a training program to educate young women on how to play an active role in society through volunteering for community service programs that focus on global issues. These young women use their newly learned skills to carry out their own public awareness campaigns – in schools, universities, and public gathering places on various global issue days, such as International Women’s Day, World Health Day, World Environment Day, and the International Day of Disabled Persons. 

UAE

Ras Al Khaimah Men's College:  "Establishing and Operating an Elected Student Council at RAK Men's College" - This project will result in the election and effective operation of the first elected Student Council at Ras Al Khaimah Men's College.  An expert in forming and running elected Student Councils will train existing student representatives, those interested in running for office, and other students at RAK Men’s College on the role of student councils in working with students and administrators to represent and serve student interests.  Participants will be taught how to form, organize, and operate a Student Council; and how to organize and implement a Student Council election.  Training provided through workshops and consultation will also address effective consideration and advocacy of student concerns.

Zayed University: "The 21^st Century Emirati Woman: My Future as a Citizen and Leader" - Encourages women's participation and leadership in public life and raises public awareness of the important role of women in the future of the UAE.  This project provides communication skills training through workshops and one-on-one sessions, culminating in a public speaking contest about the Emirati woman's role as a citizen and leader.  Contest winners will receive additional leadership training and take on roles as student leaders and mentors in Zayed University's new Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Center for Leadership.

Zayed University: “Emirati Women Short Stories Competition” - Zayed University focuses attention on the public perception of Emirati women and encourages English language development in a project that results in a published anthology entitled “Emirati Women in the UAE Today”.  Students at UAE University, Higher Colleges of Technology, and Zayed University will submit short stories depicting modern Emirati women in business, the workplace, family, public life, education, as consumers, and as leaders.  In addition to inclusion in the anthology, selected short story entries will be broadly publicized in magazines, newspapers, and other media throughout the country.

iEARN:  "i-EARN Start-up in the UAE" - The iEARN Team Leaders Program will provide 25 Emirati teachers with training and materials to integrate the internet into the classroom. The program will consist of a three-day workshop which will be followed by a two-day train the trainer program, resulting in a cadre of public school teachers that use the internet in their classrooms to work on projects and link with their U.S. classroom counterparts.

Dubai Women's College:  "Establishing an elected Student Council" - As a follow-up to a previous MEPI local grant, Dubai Women's College will bring 3-4 students from Mt. Holyoke College, for one week, to train the student council on how to form an advocacy based organization vs. its current event planning/social role. The students will learn how to build an effective leadership team based on models of parliamentary/democratic procedures. They will also learn how to advocate on behalf of the student body to the senior administration. The training will also examine the role of women participating in civil society.

Abu Dhabi Businesswomen's Council:  "Seed program for a Women's Entrepreneurship Center" - This project trains a core team of Emirati businesswomen on small business development and practices. The UAE Businesswomen Council will use this core group to develop a center to train UAE women on how to start a small business. These members will be the core team who will in turn hold training for other UAE women entrepreneurs in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

YEMEN

National Organization for Developing Society (NODS): “Democracy and Human Rights Training for Imams” - NODS brings together a group of Imams to educate them about the values of democracy and human rights.  Over the course of 10 workshop sessions, Imams learn to research issues from international sources on the internet, and participate in discussion and debates on human rights and democracy.  Upon completion of the program, a booklet summarizing main points and lessons learned is formulated and distributed widely to other Imams - so that all can incorporate these concepts, ideas, and values into their influential teachings in their communities.

Al-Aghabera & Al-Arouq Charitable Society:  “Creating Dynamic Community Libraries” - AACS trains 4 librarians, 40 teachers, 40 parents and 50 students as trainers.  They in turn will train a total of 2000 peers at four community libraries on how to use library and internet resources.  Community Library Clubs will be created in each community, through which future library users will receive training and resource materials.

Youth Leadership Development Foundation (YLDF):  “Youth Leadership Program” - YLDF will teaches male and female Yemeni youth to develop business and entrepreneurial skills that will enable them to enter the market as small business entrepreneurs or  professional employees to help vitalize Yemen’s private sector. The one-year program, Youth Business Professionals Program (YBPP), consists of four training modules, and includes placement and referral support to its graduates. 

Yemen Polling Center: "Political Participation and Governance: Public Attitudes and Perceptions" - Yemen Polling Center staff are trained and supported by an expert consultant to carry out effective and accurate polling.  Four separate polls are conducted across four different governorates in advance of Yemen's municipal council and presidential elections.  Results are distributed to Yemeni media, political parties, and civil society institutions. 

Democracy School: "Qualifying Young Lawyers in Human Rights" - The project will train one hundred and sixty Sharia and Law faculty students on the concept of Human Rights. Students from third and fourth year will be primary particpants in this project. The project will also enable students to legal research on the international conventions on Human Rights and the international protocols of the addendum conventions.

Al-Rahma Foundation: "Business and Marketing Skills for Women" - This program will train and encourage female youth of Dar Al-Rahma to produce high-quality handicrafts such as woven rugs for domestic and international markets. It will promote and expand productivity and profitability of female youth which will help them gain skills to start their own business and improve their economic opportunity. The products of the project will be marketed through networking and agreements with selected Trade Centers in the major tourist sites in Yemen.

SOUL: "Community Based Integrated Development Program: Expanding Employment Opportunities in the Hadhramout" - A series of workshops will include the following topics: "Shop for a Job", "Sell Yourself", and "Role Playing". This program will be a pilot initiative. If proven successful, the implementer will propose a permanent employment assistance center to provide employment services to the community.

REGIONAL LOCAL GRANT

International Center for Not-for-profit Law (ICNL): "Gulf Civil Society Law Reform" -ICNL works with regional and international experts to examine the role of civil society in democratic societies, and the legal framework necessary to enable and protect it.  A regional workshop examines samples of existing and draft laws governing civil society from the region, Europe, and the United States, and common components of effective legislative frameworks.  Follow-on activities in two selected Gulf states expand seminar participation to include stakeholders from government, Parliament, civil society, and the legal profession, and seek to launch drafting groups that ultimately draft and advocate for new, model legislation.

Barefoot Workshops: “Mass Media Tools for Activists” - This project will bolster the ability of participant civil society groups to inform and affect public opinion by conveying messages through quality "public service announcement" (PSA) video messages; which can be disseminated via television, the internet, and personal electronic devices.  Two representatives of sixteen selected civil society groups will participate in an in-depth, two-week training workshop in their home country.  Each participating group will, in the course of producing an actual, finished PSA video, learn the skills necessary to produce and utilize effective, high-quality PSA video messages on their own.