- ActionAid
- Focus areas of our work
- How we work
- Countries we work in
- Examples and results
- The organisation
The Middle East and North Africa
ActionAid Denmark (AADK) supports youth engagement and youth participation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). In cooperation with local partners the programme ‘Building Bridges for Youth Action’ creates possibilities for young men and women to become active drivers of sustainable change and stability in their societies.
Strengthening youth participation
The MENA programme believes that it is essential to invest in the capacity and mobilisation of youth in the region if positive development is to happen.
The programme supports the empowerment of excluded groups; strengthens solidarity by connecting and organising people committed to a common cause; and promotes campaign activities to shift national and international policies. With a human rights-based approach AADK wishes to promote the political influence of people living in poverty and advance the capacity of youth to hold decision-makers accountable.
Young people have played a significant role in the recent Arab movements, demanding basic human rights in MENA. The long-term consequences are still to be seen, but one thing is certain; the self-perception of youth has been influenced and young people begin to see themselves as active agents in positive social change.
The Arab Spring has provided a window of opportunity in contributing to social change, regarding youth participation, empowerment of women and strengthening civil society. It is now important more than ever for AADK to hold hands with the Arab youth in building a new future - supporting sustainable and constructive change processes.
The programme operates in Jordan, Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territories and is currently on hold in Syria. AADK has recently started up a programme in Egypt, wishing to extend into Tunisia, Morocco and Libya.
| 04 June 2012 | Youth Fight Environmental Degradation |
| 04 June 2012 | Danish Nurses coming to Palestine |
| 04 June 2012 | Training of Jordanian Working Children |
| 03 April 2012 | Celebrating the International Women's Day |
| 03 April 2012 | Organization Debate the Future of Civil Society |
| 03 April 2012 | Youth Councils raise their voice at Youth Summit |
| 22 March 2012 | Youth Innovative Participation in Civic Engagement |
| 22 March 2012 | Youth Efforts to Face Drug Issues in Beqaa |
Our work in the MENA region
MS ActionAid Denmark focuses on three priority areas in building bridges for youth issues in the Middle East, North Africa and Denmark:- Engaging young people in civil society issues and strengthening their ability to organize advocate and act by themselves.
- Promoting cross-cultural understanding and dialogue by giving youth from both Denmark and the MENA region a chance to meet and interact.
- Supporting partnerships between youth groups in the MENA region and Denmark, thereby learning from each other's knowledge and experience.
In dept with the priority areas
A separate, but very important, cross cutting issue in the program is gender equality. MS ActionAid Denmark has developed a gender strategy that promotes individual empowerment of young women and equal participation of young women and men in all youth mobilization activities of the organization.
Our gender strategy in MENA (pdf)
Learn more about the situation in the Middle East and our focus on youth
Documents
Blogs
Postcards From Palestine (English)
Signe is the Information and Communication Intern for ActionAid Denmark in Hebron, Palestine. She writes about the people she meets and life in the West Bank.
(By: Signe Hare, Intern, July – January 2011/12)
Ananaddoush (English)
Nadia is a Danish blogger, project maker, idea generator and social entrepreneur. She is currently working as a trainer at the Global Platform in Amman and writes about the Middle East and life in Jordan.
(By: Nadia Norvang Christensen, Trainer, October 2011 – 2013)
Sebastian in Palestine (Danish)
Sebastian was the Communication Intern with ActionAid Denmark in Hebron, Palestine the fall 2010 and spring 2011. He engages his reader in his daily life in the West Bank.
(By: Sebastian Frandsen, Intern, Januar – July 2011)
!aske (English)
Aske was the Information and Communication Intern at ActionAid Denmark's regional office in Amman. He's eager on doing visual documentation from projects and it was his first trip to the region. He still writes about his work after his return to Denmark.
(By: Aske Erbs, Intern, Januar – July 2011)
The land of Arabia (Danish)
Jonas blogged about his experience as a volunteer in the refugee camp Al-Alrroub in Palestine. He took a lot of interesting photos during his stay.
(By: Jonas Holst, Volunteer, Spring 2011)
Gazoom – Facing Palestine (English)
Lucas has been based in Gaza supporting MS’ partner organisation Sharek Youth Forum in developing initiatives for youth.
(By: Lucas Nielsen, Inspirator, April – December 2010)
Mussi and Niksi in Hebroni (Danish)
Rasmus and Nikolaj have been volunteers in Palestine for three months. Beautiful and thought-provoking pictures and anecdotes from the Westbank.
(By: Rasmus D. Skavlan & Nikolaj H. Mortensen, Volunteers, Spring 2010)
Videos
 |
Sanne Loft Rasmussen and Johan Fournaise Sanne Loft Rasmussen and Johan Fournaise tell about their Next Stop tour to Syria and Lebanon. |
ActionAid Arab Regional Initiative
30 al Idrissi Street
al Shmeisani
Amman, Jordan
ada@ms.dk
info-mena@ms.dk
P.O. Box 942209
