2004 Gulf Programs

Bahrain:

Bahrain Transparency Society - This grant focuses on improving the governance of civil societies in Bahrain through the implementation of the principles of wise and prudent management in non-governmental organizations. A series of workshops will address NGO management issues, including fundraising, codes of conduct, and accounting topics.

Kuwait:

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.

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.

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.

Oman:

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.

Citizens Working for Change: Public Participation in Environmental
Protection - The Environmental Society of Oman will increase awareness of Oman's natural resources and teach the importance civic participation in protecting and conserving the environment through school programs and public outreach.

Saudi Arabia:

Career Development and Professional Skills Workshops for Young Women - This program supports local civil society in Saudi Arabia by empowering young women with the skills required to develop confidence through instruction in drama techniques. Workshops are aimed at promoting different sets of skills in young people through various activities and are designed to enhance confidence and self-awareness in young women so that they may play an increasingly supportive role in their societies.

UAE:

iEARN- 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.

UAE 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.

Establishing an elected Student Council - As a follow-up to a previous MEPI small 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.

Yemen:

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.

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.

Abu Dhabi Regional Office:

Media Law Project - In the UAE, the Journalist Association (JA) has been asked to provide recommendations to the Ministry of Information on the press freedom laws. In response, the JA intends to submit a comprehensive report to the Ministry, including model legislation. This project funds the services of a media law expert to aid the efforts of the JA to provide the best possible input to their government as the UAE moves to enact new legislation governing freedom of the press.