Institute for Domestic & International Affairs, Inc.

Non-Governmental Organizations

Background Information and Group Summaries

Director: Prasannah Ashokkumar

© 2010 Institute for Domestic & International Affairs, Inc. (IDIA)

This document is solely for use in preparation for Philadelphia Model United Nations 2010. Use for other purposes is not

permitted without the express written consent of IDIA. For more information, please write us at idiainfo@idia.net

Introduction _________________________________________________________________ 1

Funding _________________________________________________________________________ 2

Accountability ____________________________________________________________________ 3

NGOs in the Middle East_______________________________________________________ 5

Introduction to Specific Non –Governmental Organizations __________________________ 7

American Near East Refugee Aid ____________________________________________________ 7

Amnesty International _____________________________________________________________ 8

EcoPeace- Friends of the Earth Middle East ___________________________________________ 9

Human Rights Watch _____________________________________________________________ 10

International Association for Religious Freedom_______________________________________ 11

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies________________________ 12

Middle East Children’s Alliance ____________________________________________________ 13

Near East Foundation _____________________________________________________________ 14

Oxfam International ______________________________________________________________ 15

Pathways to Peace ________________________________________________________________ 16

Transparency International ________________________________________________________ 18

Reporters Without Borders ________________________________________________________ 19

Women Living Under Muslim Laws _________________________________________________ 20

World Economic Forum ___________________________________________________________ 21

Works Cited ________________________________________________________________ 23

PhilMUN 2010 1

Introduction Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been in existence since long before

the United Nations (UN), though the term “NGO” was not introduced until the UN was

founded in 1945. According to the UN Department of Public Information, an NGO is

officially defined as “a not-for-profit, voluntary citizens’ group, which is organized on a

local, national or international level to address issues in support of the public good.”1

NGOs are based upon civil society: they are theoretically not influenced by state

governments or by businesses. Despite this, certain NGOs do have political, religious,

cultural, or economic affiliations that impact their agenda and policy. Within the UN,

NGOs represent causes and voices not typically articulated by state governments

represented.

NGOs have played a vital role in the UN since its creation and are able to become

involved in several ways. Article 71 of the UN Charter explains that: The Economic and Social Council may make suitable arrangements for consultation with non-governmental organizations which are concerned with matters within its competence. Such arrangements may be made with international organizations and, where appropriate, with national organizations after consultation with the Member of the United Nations concerned.2

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is responsible for granting NGOs

consultative status and related policies of NGO/ UN relations, as stipulated in ECOSOC

Resolution 1996/31.3 Currently more that 3,200 NGOs maintain consultative status

through ECOSOC.4 Approved NGOs are able to attend UN body meetings and promote

their agenda by presenting information to committees and consulting with voting member

states, through they themselves have no voting privileges. NGOs can also become

involved at the UN through the Department of Public Information (DPI), which does not

grant consultative status but does allow them access to the UN. The DPI also distributes

1 NGOs and the United Nations Department of Public Information: Some Questions and Answers, UNDPI, http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/brochure.htm, accessed 9 November 2009. 2 UN Charter 3 ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31, http://www.un.org/documents/ecosoc/res/1996/eres1996-31.htm, accessed 11 November 2009. 4 “About Us,” NGO Branch, http://www.un.org/esa/coordination/ngo/, accessed 9 November 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 2

important information about the UN and its activities through its partner NGOs using

briefings, conferences, and workshops.5 NGOs that are not formally associated with the

UN in either of these ways are often able to gain one time access to special conferences

and events pertaining to their area of specialization.

In addition to articulating their goals within the UN framework, NGOs also play a

vital role in the implementation of UN action and programs. They are often relied upon

to deliver aid and implement programs internationally, simply because it is not feasible

for the UN to develop and fund all these programs in areas in which NGOs are already

active.

Funding Funding is an ongoing challenge for the UN. Each year, about $27 billion is spent

across all UN agencies and programs. The UN relies on donations from member states to

establish its budget. When countries do not contribute the promised amount to the UN,

the UN goes into debt. Currently member states’ arrears to the budget total over $925

million, 93% of which is owed by the United States.6 Because of the UN’s financial

limitations, it cannot fund all its own programs, and therefore relies on NGOs for

assistance.

NGOs rely on funding from government sources and from the private sector,

including individual donors, corporations, foundations, and development agencies. Many

NGOs are concerned about government or corporate donations having ulterior motives,

therefore specific conditions for funding of NGOs are stipulated in ECOSOC Resolution

1996/31. Part I, clause 13 states that: “Where voluntary contributions have been

received, their amounts and donors shall be faithfully revealed to the Council Committee

on Non-Governmental Organizations…Any financial contribution or other support, direct

or indirect, from a Government to the organization shall be openly declared to the

5 “About NGO Association with the UN,” Department of Public Information, http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/about-ngo-assoc.asp, accessed 9 November 2009. 6 “UN Finance”, Global Policy Forum, http://www.globalpolicy.org/un-finance.html, accessed 7 November 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 3

Committee.”7 This provision is intended to ensure funding transparency in NGOs that

cooperate with the UN.

Despite donor transparency, any NGO donor can have a specific economic or

political agenda, which inevitably influences the NGO being funded. Foundations may

make grants or donations available for certain projects but not for others, therefore NGOs

tend to focus on issues that will enable them to receive funding. Reliance on these

donors “redirects accountability toward funders and away from the group's grass-roots

constituencies. NGOs become contractors, constituencies become customers, and

members become clients.”8 Balancing accountability to donors with accountability to the

group’s beneficiaries is a constant challenge for NGOs to maintain their integrity.

Accountability Concerns over NGO funding influencing accountability lead to questions of the

overall accountability of NGOs. Since NGOs do not report to any higher authority, for

example a government or an international body, they are theoretically only accountable to

themselves. Naturally most NGOs consider themselves accountable to the people they

serve, as well as to their funders, as previously discussed. But developing mechanisms

for monitoring NGO accountability is a constant challenge.

The International Advocacy Non-Governmental Organizations (IANGO)

Workshop was established in 2003 with four goals in mind: 1. to allow IANGO leaders to share knowledge about global problems and dynamics 2. to provide opportunities to build wider coalitions and support for specific campaigns and lobby on issues of common concern 3. to allow for informal interactions and mutual support between leaders of trans-national organisations 4. to identify and address sector-wide issues and challenges such as engagement with intergovernmental organisations and the legitimacy, accountability and transparency of IANGOs9

The IANGO Accountability Charter is the product of four years of workshop meetings,

first publicly released in 2006. The charter is unique in that it was developed by NGOs 7 ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31 8 “Doing Good? The Politics and Antipolitics of NGO Practice”, William F. Fisher, Harvard University, JSTOR. 9 “About the Charter,” INGO Accountability Charter, http://www.ingoaccountabilitycharter.org/about-the-charter.php, accessed 18 November 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 4

for NGOs for their benefit. It strives to uphold high standards of accountability and

transparency for all NGOs in order to maintain their reputations and performance. The

charter declares that NGOs are first accountable to their stakeholders, which include · Peoples, including future generations, whose rights we seek to protect and advance; · Ecosystems, which cannot speak for or defend themselves; · Our members and supporters; · Our staff and volunteers; · Organisations and individuals that contribute finance, goods or services; · Partner organisations, both governmental and non-governmental, with whom we work; · Regulatory bodies whose agreement is required for our establishment and operations; · Those whose policies, programmes or behaviour we wish to influence; · The media; and · The general public.10

In order to balance the interests of these various stakeholders, which are times can be

conflicting; the charter outlines a set of universal principles to uphold. The charter also

discusses the importance of ethical fundraising in order to avoid NGOs prioritizing donor

interest.

The Accountability Charter is maintained by its eleven founding NGOs who meet

a minimum of three times per year to discuss the charter and its progress. Every

signatory to the charter pays a small fee to facilitate the monitoring of the charter,

because all member NGOs are subject to reviews to make sure that they are in

compliance with the charter’s principles.11 Currently the signatories to the charter are

primarily large multi-national NGOs, such as Amnesty International and Oxfam

International, and the charter is looking to expand its base of signatories to include

smaller, local NGOs.

There are also organizations dedicated to promoting NGO accountability. NGO

Watch, which monitors NGOs for accountability and transparency, is a project of Global

Governance Watch, whose mission is “to raise awareness about global governance, to

monitor how international organizations influence domestic political outcomes, and to

address issues of transparency and accountability within the United Nations, related

10 INGO Accountability Charter 11 “Governance and Management of the Charter,” INGO Accountability Charter, http://www.ingoaccountabilitycharter.org/governance-and-management.php, accessed 18 November 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 5

intergovernmental organizations, and other non-state actors.”12 NGO Monitor is a similar

project specifically dedicated to monitoring NGO participants in the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Every year they release an annual report detailing the involvement of various NGOs in

the conflict and identifying potential problems in their accountability.13

NGOs in the Middle East NGOs have the ability to achieve real political, social and economic change in the

Middle East. Issues of NGO funding and accountability become especially important

since there is such diverse variety of ethnic, religious, and political groups active in the

region. Certain NGOs remain objective, while others specifically align their interest with

one group or another. It is essential to identify what affiliation, if any, an NGO has in the

Middle East, because this determines the type of action it engages in. Another important

aspect of NGO involvement in the Middle East is public opinion. “In recent years, NGOs

have been depicted as saviors of failed economies in some circles while reviled as

stooges of Western imperialism in others.”14 NGO affiliation can influence public

opinion, and if the people do not look favorably upon NGO involvement in their

community, this seriously inhibits the ability of NGOs to deliver aid and achieve

productive change.

Cooperation between local and international NGOS has become a pertinent issue

that governments are now becoming involved in, “Governments wish to reserve the

option to approve or prohibit such formal partnerships between NGOs and INGOs. Local

NGOs…are now reconsidering these relationships and entertaining second thoughts

about collaborating with INGOs or even relying on them when problems do arise, thus

12 “About Global Governance Watch,” Global Governance Watch, http://www.globalgovernancewatch.org/about/, accessed 20 November 2009. 13 “About NGO Monitor”, NGO Monitor, http://www.ngo-monitor.org/articles.php?type=about, accessed 20 November 2009. 14 Sheila Carapico, “Making Sense of Non-Governmental Organizations”, Middle East Report, No. 214, Critiquing NGOs: Assessing the Last Decade (Spring, 2000), pp. 12-15, Middle East Research and Information Project, JSTOR. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1520187 Accessed 9 October 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 6

potentially cutting themselves off from needed support.”15 International funding for

NGOs active in the Middle East also comes under criticism. “Local perception- which is

also frequently fact- is that they come to the region with agendas rooted in specific

foreign policy objectives seeking "partners" to unquestioningly carry out programs that

seldom resonate with the political situation on the ground.”16 Many Middle Eastern

governments are now developing legislation to regulate the funding of NGOs active in

their state. Despite these disagreements over local versus international involvement and

funding, attempts are being made at NGO cooperation.

The Middle East NGO Network (MENGOs) is the first Arab NGO network, a

project supported by Virtual Activism and The Center for Knowledge Society. Their

current projects include: • Technology training of nonprofit organizations, journalists, judges and civil society in general in

the Arab World as well as online training throughout the world. • Introducing blogging to the Middle East through our web-works project [and our training

workshops]. • A multi-lingual site for nonprofit organizations with a database of existing NGO • Mengospedia, the first wiki for nonprofit organizations in the Arab World17

Although this initiative is biased in that it focuses on Arab NGOs, it is a positive step in

promoting cooperation of NGOs throughout the region.

When considering NGOs in the Middle East it is essential to recognize their biases

and funding sources and how they influence accountability. In order for NGOs to deliver

effective aid and made progress in the Middle East, they must overcome these biases in

order to cooperate.

15 Julia Pitner, “NGOs Dilemmas,” Middle East Report, No. 214, Critiquing NGOs: Assessing the Last Decade (Spring, 2000), pp. 34-37, Middle East Research and Information Project. JSTOR. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1520193 Accessed 9 October 2009. 16 Pitner 17 MENGOs Center for Knowledge Society, http://www.mengos.net/, accessed 20 November 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 7

Introduction to Specific Non –Governmental Organizations American Near East Refugee Aid Following the Arab Israeli War of 1967, the American Near East Refugee Aid

(ANERA) was founded in 1968 in order to provide aid to the thousands of refugees

resulting from the conflict. Initially it was funded by donations from charitable

organizations and Near East Emergency Donations, an organization comprised of

American corporations working in the Middle East. Funding now comes from private

donors, as well as grants from various non-governmental organizations. ANERA prides

itself on being a non-religious and non-political organization, therefore able to distribute

aid equitably without regard to religious or political beliefs of beneficiaries. ANERA’s

initial focus was providing refugee aid in Palestine, and its mission has since expanded to

include Lebanon and Jordan.

Currently, ANERA manages programs in humanitarian aid, medical relief,

education, and job creation. In 2008, nearly seventy-five million USD in aid was

delivered to the Middle East development initiatives through ANERA. Their mission

statement explains that “ANERA helps local institutions become more self-sufficient and

effective in serving their communities. Every project is planned in consultation with the

communities that ultimately benefit — an approach that ensures relevancy and

commitment, and secures the long-term viability of the projects.”

In addition to basic necessity aid, ANERA also focuses on long-term

development strategies for these communities. They have been cooperating with

Palestinian universities to create Information Technology Centers for Excellence, four of

which have been completed so far. The goal of these centers is to promote higher

education and job preparation: over eighty-five percent of IT Center graduates find

employment.18

18 American Near East Refugee Aid, http://www.anera.org, accessed 15 September 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 8

ANERA’s philosophy is that by pairing immediate relief efforts with long term

solutions it is laying the groundwork for sustainable development in the Middle East,

which in turn will provide increased stability in the region.

Amnesty International Amnesty International is a non-governmental organization that advocates for

human rights worldwide. The mission of the organization was conceived of by a British

lawyer in 1961, and Amnesty International was officially founded in 1962, gaining

consultative status with the UN in 1964. Amnesty International was awarded the Nobel

Peace Prize in 1977 for “having contributed to securing the ground for freedom, for

justice, and thereby also for peace in the world” and won the United Nations Human

Rights prize the following year.19

Initially the organization focused on bringing attention to and freeing “prisoners of

conscience” and now their efforts have expanded to focus on various human rights issues,

including violence against women, the global arms trade, torture, and refugee and

migrant rights. Amnesty International ensures its autonomy by remaining independent of

any political or religious ideology or economic interest, and it is financially self-

sufficient. Amnesty International focuses on initiating advocacy campaigns based on

factual research, which is completed by on-site experts. Campaigns include letter-

writing, public demonstrations, petitions, lobbying, and human rights education

programs.

The Middle East is the region that Amnesty is most concerned about regarding

human rights. A report from March 2009 states that “human rights activists in the Middle

East and North Africa still face imprisonment, torture, persecution and repression for

seeking to uphold the rights of others.” 20 One of Amnesty International’s major goals in

19 “The History of Amnesty International”, Amnesty International, http://www.amnesty.org/en/who-we-are/history, accessed 24 September 2009. 20 “Middle East and North Africa: More Protection and Guarantees Needed for People Protecting Human Rights”, Amnesty International, 11 March 2009, http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/middle-east-and-north-africa-more-protection-and-guarantees-needed-peopl, accessed 1 October 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 9

the Middle East is to protect human rights activists so that they can continue to do their

work, and Amnesty is looking to state governments to help accomplish this.

Several of the campaigns Amnesty is currently leading pertain to the Middle East,

especially “Counter Terror With Justice.” This initiative argues that since the United

States-led War on Terror, states are justifying illegal practices such as torture in the name

of international security. Saudi Arabia has been specifically cited numerous times for

human rights violations in this realm.21 According to Amnesty International, human

rights should be the anchor for the Middle East peace process, which means addressing

all the violations currently taking place in the region.

EcoPeace- Friends of the Earth Middle East Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) was originally founded on 7 December

1994, under the name EcoPeace. It is a member of Friends of the Earth International, the

world’s largest grassroots environmental organization. The organization brings together

environmentalists from Jordan, Israel, Palestine, and Egypt to promote the consideration

of environmental concerns in regional development. The organization combines a top-

down advocacy approach with bottom-up grassroots initiatives to achieve its mission,

focusing on regional strategies. The mission statement of FoEME states that “Our

primary objective is the promotion of cooperative efforts to protect our shared

environmental heritage. In so doing, we seek to advance both sustainable regional

development and the creation of necessary conditions for lasting peace in our region.”22

FoEME is currently working on seventeen initiatives focusing on the environment

and development in the Middle East, dealing with issues such as climate change, water,

energy, healthy food, and the impact of conflict. In 2001, FoEME started the Good

Water Neighbors Project to partner eleven communities in Israel, Palestine, and Jordan

and encourage them to cooperate in achieving clean and sustainable water use. In 2005

21 “Counter Terror With Justice”, Amnesty International, http://www.amnesty.org/en/counter-terror-with-justice, accessed 1 October 2009. 22EcoPeace/ Friends of the Earth Middle East. http://www.foeme.org accessed 11 September 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 10

the project was expanded to include seventeen communities. Another important project

started by FoEME is EcoParks, which establishes ecological preservation areas that are

used for environmental education. Many other projects supporting clean water and solar

energy are implemented on a customized, community level.

FoEME identifies its most important advocacy initiatives as the impact of conflict

on the environment and the importance of sustainable development. Violent conflict is

detrimental to the environment, impacting accessibility of natural resources, and thus

compromising human security. During unregulated development the environment is

similarly damaged, and sustainable development means “development that meets present

needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”23

FoEME advocates internationally for these environmental concerns while implementing

specific projects at the local level.”

Human Rights Watch In 1978 Helsinki Watch was established to monitor the Soviet bloc’s compliance

with the 1975 Helsinki Accords. Region “watch” committees for the Americas, Asia,

Africa, and the Middle East were established throughout the 1980s, eventually leading to

all the groups joining together as Human Rights Watch in 1988.24 The organization now

works to monitor human rights conditions during conflict, as well as the specific

situations of women, children, refugees, and migrant workers worldwide and is

increasingly expanding its efforts to economic, social, and cultural rights. To bring

attention to human rights situations, Human Rights Watch published over one hundred

country specific reports each year, and uses its finding to influence decisions made by the

UN, regional groups such as the European Union and the African Union, financial

institutions, and corporations.

23 “Projects: Sustainable Development Strategies,” EcoPeace/ Friends of the Earth Middle East, http://www.foeme.org/projects.php?ind=68, accessed 11 September 2009. 24 “Our History”, Human Rights Watch, http://www.hrw.org/en/node/75134, accessed 2 October 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 11

Human Rights Watch is active across the Middle East, and they have had many

small-scale successes there. Recently Human Rights Watch brought up a court case

against Egypt fighting to end a discriminatory policy that required people to identify as

either Christian or Muslim on national identification documents. Human Rights Watch

won the case, and the Egyptian government soon after changed the policy.25 Earlier this

year, after pressure from Human Rights Watch, Yemen released sixty-nine prisoners who

had been held arbitrarily.26 It is these individual victories that prove to governments and

their people that no human rights situation is too small to go unnoticed.

Naturally Human Rights Watch is also very involved with the Israel/ Palestine

conflict. In this conflict Human Rights Watch not only monitors the situation and makes

suggestions to Israeli and Palestinian groups, it also puts political pressure on major

international actors like the United States and the European Union to take certain actions.

Currently Human Rights Watch is spearheading a campaigning for justice for the people

in Gaza.

By focusing on both small-scale issues and major international human rights

violations, Human Rights Watch brings attention to all types of human rights, prioritizing

them all equally.

International Association for Religious Freedom The International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF) promotes freedom of

belief and tolerance among all faiths worldwide and has been active for over one hundred

years. Three key aspects of religious freedom are identified: freedom from government

oppression, tolerance and understanding between communities of different religions, and

accountability by religious groups to guarantee that their practices uphold human rights.

IARF is headed by a fifteen member administrative council made up of members with

25 “Egypt Ends ID Bias Against Baha’is”, Human Rights Watch, http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/05/05/egypt-ends-id-bias-against-bahais, accessed 3 October 2009. 26 “Yemen Releases 69 Detainees in the War in the North”, Human Rights Watch, http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/02/23/yemen-releases-69-detainees-war-north, accessed 3 October 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 12

diverse religious beliefs, which supervises worldwide initiatives. Regional and local

projects and supervised and implemented by regional coordinators.27

IARF has a sub-organization called the Religious Freedom Young Adult Network

(RFYN), which works to promote the same goals among young people. Young adults are

encouraged to start religious tolerance dialogues and implement projects in their

communities. Recently in August 2008 a young adult training was held in Jordan with

participants from twenty-six countries. Its aim was to inspire youth to become active in

promoting religious tolerance.28

Because IARF is working to ensure that human rights are upheld in religious

practice, the organization does come into conflict with more conservative groups that

advocate for maintaining religious tradition. Reconciling this clash between religious

tradition and human rights is important in the Middle East, especially because of the

various interpretations of Islam. Since religious beliefs are prevalent in government,

education, and community spheres in the Middle East, IARF’s work goes beyond

religious institutions and into aspects of everyday life that are affected by religion.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies The International Federation of Red Cross/ Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) was

established in 1919 because the need for cooperation between Red Cross societies was

recognized following World War I. Independent Red Cross societies had been in

existence since 1863, but there was no cooperation on an international level. There are

now one hundred eighty-six member societies. The IFRC operates based on seven

fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary

27 “About Us,” International Association for Religious Freedom, http://www.iarf.net/2009site/aboutus.php, 24 October 2009. 28 “Slideshow of Young Adult Training in Jordan,” International Association for Religious Freedom, http://www.iarf.net/index.php, 24 October 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 13

service, unity, and universality, which shape the IFRC’s mission is “to improve the lives

of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity.” 29 30

The IFRC focuses on four core areas of action: promoting humanitarian values,

disaster response, disaster preparedness, and health and community care, as outlined in

the global agenda. Disaster response constitutes the largest area of the IFRC’s work: it

annually assists approximately thirty million people, from refugees to disaster victims.

The International Federation is responsible for coordinating the responses of member

societies and supervising international efforts. 31

The IFRC is very active in the Middle East, especially with regard to the conflicts

in the region. In 2006, the Humanitarian Crisis in the Middle East Emergency Appeal

was launched in response to the Israel- Lebanon conflict. Its primary aim was to support

the National Societies of Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, and Cyprus in dealing with the aftermath

of the conflict. The final report on the appeal, issued on 14 July 2009, recognizes a one

hundred per cent success rate in implementation of proposed reconstruction and aid

projects. 32 By cooperating with and supervising local Red Cross and Red Crescent

Societies, the IFRC is able to deal with humanitarian issues on an international scale

while still using a local approach.

Middle East Children’s Alliance The Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) was founded on 1 May 1988 by

Barbara Lubin, an American political activist who was inspired to start this non-profit

organization after organizing a delegation to travel to the Palestinian Occupied Territories

observe conditions of daily life.33

29 “The Seven Fundamental Principles,” http://www.ifrc.org/what/values/principles/index.asp, accessed 19 September 2009 30 “Who We Are: Our Vision and Mission”, http://www.ifrc.org/who/index.asp?navid=03_01, accessed 19 September 2009 31 “What We Do”, http://www.ifrc.org/what/index.asp?navid=04_01, accessed 19 September 2009 32 “Final Report: Humanitarian Crisis in the Middle East”, http://www.ifrc.org/cgi/pdf_appeals.pl?06/MDR81001final.pdf, accessed 19 September 2009 33 Lubin, Barbara, “For Charlie,” Americans for Middle Eastern Understanding, The Link, vol. 39, Oct-Nov 2006, http://www.ameu.org/page.asp?iid=268&aid=578&pg=1, accessed 12 September 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 14

The primary concern of MECA is delivering humanitarian aid and organizing

programs for children, currently active mainly in Palestine, Iraq, and Lebanon. Since its

creation, MECA has contributed over 10 million USD in aid to these countries. Aid is

delivered in the form of food, medical supplies, books, clothing, school supplies, and

toys. One of MECA’s most successful special projects is called Playgrounds for Peace, a

program started in 1994 to create playgrounds in the Palestinian Occupied Territories,

citing the ability to play outside with other children as a crucial part of child

development. The program has so far succeeded in cooperating with local governments

and community groups to build playgrounds in five neighborhoods and MECA is looking

to expand this initiative.

Within the United States the Middle East Children’s Alliance runs educational and

cultural programs to inform Americans about the impact of US foreign policy and to

increase awareness of the situation of children in the Middle East. The organization also

sends delegations to Israel/ Palestine.34

MECA is also an organization with a political agenda, “dedicated to working for a

just peace as well as educating Americans about what is actually happening on the

ground in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Iraq.” According to Lubin “MECA has

never supported the Oslo Accords, the Geneva Accords or any of the other pathetic

“peace agreements” that so many people in the U.S. have so blindly promoted.” 35 In

addition to humanitarian efforts, MECA is committed to achieving peace in the Middle

East through equality and justice.

Near East Foundation Cleveland Dodge founded the American Committee for Armenian and Syrian

Relief in 1915 in response to the Armenian genocide taking place at the time. The

organization was later renamed Near East Relief when it expanded its efforts across the

34 “What We Do,” Middle East Children’s Alliance,http://www.mecaforpeace.org/article.php?list=type&type=23, accessed 12 September 2009. 35 Lubin.

PhilMUN 2010 15

region, and now it is known as the Near East Foundation (NEF). Initially the mission

was refugee relief, but it has since expanded to include development, and NEF’s motto

now reads ‘Helping the people of the Middle East and Africa build the future they

envision for themselves.”

Currently NEF maintains programs in Palestine, Lebanon, Morocco, Egypt,

Jordan, Mali and Sudan. Initiatives focus on extreme poverty, conflict, migration, and

climate change. An example of NEF’s work includes a highly successful desert

agriculture pilot project in Egypt. NEF cooperates with farmers in three villages to

establish effective desert farming techniques in the region, where the Egyptian

government is planning to resettle one million people. The project is being expanded as

it continues to prove its success and as more people come to region.36

NEF proclaims itself different from other international development agencies

because it focuses on grassroots efforts and providing the tools for communities to help

themselves. The goal of any NEF project is to have it be community led and become

self-sustaining. Most initiatives are led by local community members trained by NEF

staff. NEF supervises projects until they have been completed and the community can

continue to sustain the project on their own. The organization operates on a minimal

budget by maintaining satellite field offices in all countries in which it is active, and by

funding local projects through external grants and donations.

Oxfam International Oxfam International is an association of thirteen non-governmental organizations

that joined together in 1995. Each of the thirteen groups that makes up Oxfam is based in

a different country, and these individual Oxfam members manage specific programs that

support the organization’s universal agenda. The organization’s primary goal is

combating poverty and injustice by providing emergency relief as well as implementing

long-term development programs in vulnerable communities. It also campaigns for

36 Near East Foundation, http://www.neareast.org, accessed 13 September 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 16

issues such as agriculture, fair trade rules, better health and education services for all, and

combating climate change. Within the communities it works with, Oxfam partners with

over three thousand local organizations to achieve solutions. Its initiatives fall into the

categories of development, emergencies, campaigning, advocacy, and policy research. 37

Within the Middle East, Oxfam supervises a number of unique initiatives that

target multiple issues. One such program, supervised by Oxfam America, aims to

empower women in a rural province of Afghanistan. So far the program has created self-

help groups for women in ten villages. Each group is educated about issues such as

domestic violence and child marriage. A small amount of funding, typically three

hundred USD, is provided to each group to distribute to women to help them start their

own businesses. Gender training is also provided to religious leaders, doctors, and

government officials across the province in order to increase women’s empowerment.

Oxfam has partnered with another local organization to provide literacy classes for

women, and also runs an incentive program to recruit more female teachers for local

schools.38

Because of its firm political convictions, Oxfam has fallen under controversy.

Recently Oxfam has voiced its opposition to Israel’s Gaza policy and accuses Israel of

having created a humanitarian crisis, and the organization has been criticized for

presenting a one-sided view of the conflict.39 Despite these criticisms, Oxfam’s political

convictions are an integral part of the success of its international aid programs.

Pathways to Peace Pathways to Peace (PTP) educates, consults, and works to build peace. PTP

defines is mission in three points: • to make Peace a practical reality through local and global projects; • to expand communication and build cooperation among existing organizations;

37 “What We Do”, Oxfam International, http://www.oxfam.org/, accessed 18 September 2009. 38 Small Loans Make a Big Difference for Women in Afghanistan”, Oxfam International, http://www.oxfam.org/en/development/afghanistan/small-loans-make-big-difference, accessed 20 September 2009. 39 “The NGO Front in the War on Gaza: Oxfam”, NGO Monitor, http://www.ngo-monitor.org/article/the_ngo_front_in_the_gaza_war_oxfam, accessed 20 September 2009

PhilMUN 2010 17

• to strengthen the United Nations by increasing citizens' participation in its programs.

PTP has consultative status at the UN and has been active there since the 1980s. PTP

began in 1945, following World War II, and has been expanding its initiatives ever

since.40 All initiatives are based around the eight –spoke peace wheel: Governance/ Law/

Security , Education/ Media , Economics/ Business , Health/ Relationships , Science/

Technology , Religion/ Spiritual Teachings , Environment/Habitat , and Culture .

Current projects address a wide range of peace-building concerns and include a

variety of types of activism. The Culture of Peace Initiative (CPI) originated in 1983 and

is centered around International Peace Day on 21 September. Local groups and

international organizations cooperate to plan events and activities that recognize the

importance of peace and develop new strategies for peace building. This initiative is

especially active in the Middle East, and PTP has a regional coordinator specifically

dedicated to this CPI Middle East.41 Pathways Consulting, Education, and Mentoring

(PACEM) was developed in 1976 to create practical, on the ground solutions for peace

building through partnerships with experienced peace-builders who mentor and consult

with local activists and organizations.42 The Peace-building through the Triple Bottom

Line for the 21st Century Initiative (PB-TBL21) aims to merge peace and business and

encourages cooperation between the two sectors.43 While PTP seems to focus more on

awareness and activism and less on actual solutions, it is essential in starting global and

local dialogues on peace. Since conflict and peace-building play such a major role in the

dynamic of the Middle East, PTP’s initiatives essential in this region.

40 “The Pathways to Peace Mission,” Pathways to Peace, http://www.pathwaystopeace.org/who/mission.html, accessed 22 October 2009. 41 “Culture of Peace Initiative,” Pathways to Peace, http://www.pathwaystopeace.org/what/wpi.html, accessed 22 October 2009. 42 “PACEM,” Pathways to Peace, http://www.pathwaystopeace.org/what/pacem.html, accessed 22 October 2009. 43 “Peacebuilding through the Triple Bottom Line for the 21st Century Initiative,” Pathways to Peace, http://www.pathwaystopeace.org/what/tbl21.html, accessed 22 October 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 18

Transparency International Founded in 1993, Transparency International (TI) fights corruption worldwide.

The organization has over ninety local chapters, and often cooperates with other anti-

corruption NGOS. TI itself does not investigate cases of corruption, rather it works on

prevention and improving the lives of those impacted by corruption. It accomplishes this

by advocating to change laws, regulations, and practices at the national and international

level. 44

TI has developed a unique number of anti-corruption mechanisms. It measures

corruption in several ways, including the Corruption Perception Index, which “ranks

countries by perceived levels of corruption among public officials”, the Bribe Payer’s

Index, which “[ranks] the leading exporting countries according to their propensity to

bribe when doing business abroad”, and the Global Corruption Barometer, which

“assesses general public attitudes toward and experience of corruption in countries

around the world.” The Global Corruption Report is issued each year based on these

three indexes as well as submissions from other organizations and researchers, and it

identifies prominent trends in corruption. Using these tools, TI is able to effectively

design anti-corruption measures based on a country’s specific situation using the National

Integrity System model, which “provides a holistic view of the institutions, policies and

practices that work together to promote integrity and prevent corruption in society.” The

system introduces strategies to promote integrity between government and the public

sector, civil society, and the private sector. 45

TI is very active in the Middle East, identifying state political infrastructure as the

primary cause of corruption. Because people in this region lack involvement in the

political process and lack civil rights, corruption often goes unnoticed and unchecked.

The most important corruption issues in this region are access to information and

44 “About Transparency International”, Transparency International, http://www.transparency.org/about_us, accessed 4 October 2009. 45 “Approach,” Transparency International, http://www.transparency.org/about_us/approach, accessed 6 October 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 19

empowering citizens. IT has instituted “Promoting Transparency and Enhancing

Integrity in the Arab Region”, a three year program designed to assess the corruption

situation in Middle Eastern countries, and propose and implement viable solutions. 46

Reporters Without Borders Reporters Without Borders (RWB) is an international organization founded in

1985 that advocates for media freedom. It has four main activities: defending journalists

from imprisonment and torture, fighting censorship and press restrictions, providing

financial aid to journalists and families of imprisoned journalists, and working to improve

safety for journalists, especially in war zones.47 In addition, RWB researches the media

situation in specific countries and sends researchers on fact-finding missions. Every year

RWB issues the Press Freedom Index, evaluating the level of press freedom in every

country based on that year’s research. RWB cooperates with local media associations

and it has a consultative status at the UN.

In the Middle East, RWB is concerned by the continuing downward trend in media

freedom, as is evidenced by the latest Press Freedom Index published 20 October 2009.

Many countries have moved down on the list and are well below the top 100. Israel’s

decline was most significant, falling to 93rd position from 46th in 2008. This decline is

caused in part by the increasing number of arrests of journalists, both Israeli and

foreign.48 Government censorship and control of media outlets is a major concern in the

region.

RWB is committed to taking action to increase media freedoms in the Middle

East. Recently a fact-finding mission took place in Pakistan regarding the impact of

Sharia law in the northern Swat valley. While some Islamic leaders have claimed that

Sharia law does not inhibit press freedom, the actuality is quite different. By drawing 46 “Middle East and Northern Africa,” Transparency International, http://www.transparency.org/regional_pages/africa_middle_east/middle_east_and_north_africa_mena, accessed 15 October 2009. 47 “Introduction,” Reporters Without Borders, http://www.rsf.org/Introduction.html, accessed 22 October 2009. 48 “Region Performs Poorly,” Reporters Without Borders, http://www.rsf.org/Region-performs-poorly-Israel-nose.html, accessed 22 October 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 20

attention to this issue, RWA hopes to be able to start campaigns to ensure media

freedoms.49 After fact-finding missions have been completed, RWA engages in

campaigns and petitions for change, such as the petition for the release of blogger

Kareem Amer in Egypt. Amer is currently being detained for criticizing government

policies and he has been severely mistreated in prison.50 Through research and

campaigns such as these, RWB hopes to improve the situation of reporters and media

freedom in the Middle East.

Women Living Under Muslim Laws Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) is “an international network that

provides information, solidarity and support for all women whose lives are shaped,

conditioned or governed by laws and customs said to derive from Islam.” It is important

to note that WLUML advocates for all women impacted by Muslim law, including

minority women living in majority Muslim spaces. The organization began in 1984 as a

response to three separate occasions on which Muslim women were denied certain rights

because of so-called Muslim laws, and WLUML took its present form in 1986. It

operates through an International Coordination Office and regional offices; the one for

the Middle East is located in Pakistan.

One of WLUML’s key points is that there exist multiple Islams in different

nations and communities, and part of women’s struggle is recognizing this difference.

WLUML accomplishes its mission by networking Muslim women around the world with

each other and with global feminist organizations. Through these international

connections, WLUML spreads information and alerts regarding women’s rights and

coordinates collective action projects. Projects are coordinated based on a common

theme and then implemented locally according to specific needs. WLUML also issues

49 “Fact-finding visit by Reporters Without Borders to Swat ‘valley of fear,’” Reporters Without Borders, http://www.rsf.org/spip.php?page=article&id_article=30742, accessed 22 October 2009. 50 “Cairo Court to Rule on Jailed Blogger’s Appeal,” Reporters Without Borders, http://www.rsf.org/Cairo-court-to-rule-on-jailed.html, accessed 22 October 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 21

publications and studies based on their activism in order to promote the cause of Muslim

women.51

Within the Middle East, WLUML has pursued many. Since 2002, a major project

has been the Initiative for Strengthening Afghan Family Law, which is working to give

women more rights according to the legal family code. “Stop Killing and Stoning

Women!”, a campaign to end violence against women, has been WLUML’s major

international campaign since 2007, and it is especially important in the Middle East.52

WLUML’s initiatives in the Middle East are unique because the focus on women

centered issues and the organization empowers women themselves to be the activists.

World Economic Forum Founded in 1979, the World Economic Forum (WEF) is a Switzerland-based

organization that promotes the cooperation of social development and economic progress.

“It aims to be: the foremost organization which builds and energizes leading global

communities; the creative force shaping global, regional and industry strategies; the

catalyst of choice for its communities when undertaking global initiatives to improve the

state the world.”53 WEF is comprised of over 1000 member companies, major global

enterprises that are active in shaping the economy of their region.54 The organization

sponsors initiatives in eighteen sectors related to the economy, including financing

development, ending poverty, and partnering against corruption.

Every year WEF holds an annual meeting that serves as a platform to discuss the

major economic concerns of that year and propose initiatives to address those concerns.

In 2009 the theme of the annual meeting was the origins of economic crisis and potential

51 “About WLUML,” Women Living Under Muslim Laws, http://www.wluml.org/english/about.shtml, accessed 20 October 2009. 52 “Stop Stoning!”, Stop Stoning Campaign, http://www.stop-stoning.org, accessed 20 October 2009. 53 “Our Organization,” World Economic Forum, http://www.weforum.org/en/about/Our%20Organization/index.htm, accessed 25 October 2009. 54 “Members and Partners,” World Economic Forum, http://www.weforum.org/en/about/Members%20and%20Partners/index.htm, accessed 25 October 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 22

solutions. There are also regional meetings each year, for example the World Economic

Forum on the Middle East.

The Middle East is a major focus of WEF, especially with regard to conflict.

WEF believes that increasing economic stability in the region will have a positive impact

on reduction of conflict, so it is exploring ways to achieve this. For 2010, the WEF

Middle East has identified the role of the individual as the major economic concern, and

its framing question is “Will the Middle East find the right policy ingredients to fully

benefit from individual-based growth and development while remaining anchored in its

culture and values?.”55

55 “World Economic Forum on the Middle East,” World Economic Forum, http://www.weforum.org/pdf/Middle_East/2009/ME09reportCD/, accessed 25 October 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 23

Works Cited American Near East Refugee Aid, http://www.anera.org, accessed 15 September 2009. Amnesty International. “Counter Terror With Justice.”

http://www.amnesty.org/en/counter-terror-with-justice, accessed 1 October 2009. Amnesty International, “The History of Amnesty International”,

http://www.amnesty.org/en/who-we-are/history, accessed 24 September 2009. Amnesty International, “Middle East and North Africa: More Protection and Guarantees

Needed for People Protecting Human Rights”, 11 March 2009, http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/middle-east-and-north-africa-more-protection-and-guarantees-needed-peopl, accessed 1 October 2009.

EcoPeace/ Friends of the Earth Middle East. http://www.foeme.org, accessed 11

September 2009. EcoPeace/ Friends of the Earth Middle East. “Projects: Sustainable Development

Strategies,” http://www.foeme.org/projects.php?ind=68, accessed 11 September 2009.

Human Rights Watch. “Egypt Ends ID Bias Against Baha’is.”

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/05/05/egypt-ends-id-bias-against-bahais, accessed 3 October 2009.

Human Rights Watch. “Our History.” http://www.hrw.org/en/node/75134, accessed 2

October 2009. Human Rights Watch. “Yemen Releases 69 Detainees in the War in the North.”

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/02/23/yemen-releases-69-detainees-war-north, accessed 3 October 2009.

International Association for Religious Freedom. “About Us.”

http://www.iarf.net/2009site/aboutus.php, 24 October 2009. International Association for Religious Freedom, “Slideshow of Young Adult Training in

Jordan.” http://www.iarf.net/index.php, 24 October 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 24

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. “Final Report: Humanitarian Crisis in the Middle East”, http://www.ifrc.org/cgi/pdf_appeals.pl?06/MDR81001final.pdf, accessed 19 September 2009

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. “The Seven Fundamental Principles.” http://www.ifrc.org/what/values/principles/index.asp, accessed 19 September 2009

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. “What We Do.”

http://www.ifrc.org/what/index.asp?navid=04_01, accessed 19 September 2009. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. “Who We Are: Our

Vision and Mission.” http://www.ifrc.org/who/index.asp?navid=03_01, accessed 19 September 2009

Lubin, Barbara, “For Charlie,” Americans for Middle Eastern Understanding, The Link,

vol. 39, Oct-Nov 2006, http://www.ameu.org/page.asp?iid=268&aid=578&pg=1, accessed 12 September 2009.

Middle East Children’s Alliance. “What We Do.”

http://www.mecaforpeace.org/article.php?list=type&type=23, accessed 12 September 2009.

Near East Foundation. http://www.neareast.org, accessed 13 September 2009. NGO Monitor. “The NGO Front in the War on Gaza: Oxfam.” http://www.ngo-

monitor.org/article/the_ngo_front_in_the_gaza_war_oxfam, accessed 20 September 2009.

Oxfam International. “Small Loans Make a Big Difference for Women in Afghanistan.”

http://www.oxfam.org/en/development/afghanistan/small-loans-make-big-difference, accessed 20 September 2009.

Oxfam International. “What We Do.” http://www.oxfam.org/, accessed 18 September

2009. Pathways to Peace. “Culture of Peace Initiative.”

http://www.pathwaystopeace.org/what/wpi.html, accessed 22 October 2009. Pathways to Peace. “PACEM.” http://www.pathwaystopeace.org/what/pacem.html,

accessed 22 October 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 25

Pathways to Peace. “The Pathways to Peace Mission.” http://www.pathwaystopeace.org/who/mission.html, accessed 22 October 2009.

Pathways to Peace. “Peacebuilding through the Triple Bottom Line for the 21st Century

Initiative.” http://www.pathwaystopeace.org/what/tbl21.html, accessed 22 October 2009.

Transparency International. “About Transparency International.”

http://www.transparency.org/about_us, accessed 4 October 2009. Transparency International. “Approach.”

http://www.transparency.org/about_us/approach, accessed 6 October 2009. Transparency International. “Middle East and Northern Africa.”

http://www.transparency.org/regional_pages/africa_middle_east/middle_east_and_north_africa_mena, accessed 15 October 2009.

Reporters Without Borders. “Cairo Court to Rule on Jailed Blogger’s Appeal.”

http://www.rsf.org/Cairo-court-to-rule-on-jailed.html, accessed 22 October 2009. Reporters Without Borders. “Fact-finding visit by Reporters Without Borders to Swat

‘valley of fear’.” http://www.rsf.org/spip.php?page=article&id_article=30742, accessed 22 October 2009.

Reporters Without Borders. “Introduction.” http://www.rsf.org/Introduction.html,

accessed 22 October 2009. Reporters Without Borders. “Region Performs Poorly.” http://www.rsf.org/Region-

performs-poorly-Israel-nose.html, accessed 22 October 2009. Stop Stoning Campaign. “Stop Stoning!” http://www.stop-stoning.org, accessed 20

October 2009. Women Living Under Muslim Laws . “About WLUML.”

http://www.wluml.org/english/about.shtml, accessed 20 October 2009. World Economic Forum. “Members and Partners.”

http://www.weforum.org/en/about/Members%20and%20Partners/index.htm, accessed 25 October 2009.

PhilMUN 2010 26

World Economic Forum. “Our Organization.” http://www.weforum.org/en/about/Our%20Organization/index.htm, accessed 25 October 2009.

World Economic Forum. “World Economic Forum on the Middle East.”

http://www.weforum.org/pdf/Middle_East/2009/ME09reportCD/, accessed 25 October 2009.