Launch Publication Beyond Orthodox Approaches

Beyond Orthodox Approaches: Assessing the Possibilities for Democracy Support in the Middle East and North Africa

Tags: West Asia , Civil Society in West Asia

Within the framework of Knowledge Programme Civil Society in West Asia, Hivos in collaboration with NIMD ad University of Amsterdam, will launch on 26 March 2010 the policy paper ‘Beyond Orthodox Approaches, Assessing Opportunities for Democratic Support in the Middle East and North Africa. This publication aims to explore what role - if any - external organisations, such as Hivos and NIMD, can play to further democratisation in the region. Hivos and NIMD are fully aware that the political systems in the region provide challenges for democracy support. NIMD works predominantly in young democracies and fragile states that require different programmatic approaches than when working in the political setting of the Middle East and North Africa. Hivos, in contrast, does work in authoritarian and semi-authoritarian settings and is searching for ways to circumvent programmatic constraints, in addition to deepening its knowledge of the political systems in the region. Hivos and NIMD want to maximise their complementarities of expertise by pooling resources: they believe that civil and political society can be regarded as two sides of a tunnel, interlinked – and especially in the MENA region – frequently merged in one single organisation. Understanding both types of societies as well as the relationship between them is essential for fostering democratisation processes in the region.

If you are interested in attending this event, please send an email to Kawa Hassan at khassan@hivos.nl.

Date: 26-03-2010

Time: 15.00-17.00

Venue: : VOC hal, Oost Indisch Huis E0.02, Kloveniersburgwal 48, University of Amsterdam