The 2014/2015 Civil Society Organization Sustainability Index for the Middle East and North Africa

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The 2014/2015 Civil Society Organization Sustainability Index for the Middle East and North Africa USAID 2014/2015 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX 2014/2015 CSO SUSTAINABILITY USAID For the Middle East and North Africa East and North the Middle For 4 th Edition 2014/2015 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA U.S. Agency for International Development 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20523 Tel: (202) 712-0000 Fax: (202) 216-3524 www.usaid.gov The 2014/2015 Civil Society Organization Sustainability Index for the Middle East and North Africa Developed by: United States Agency for International Development Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance Center of Excellence on Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance Bureau for the Middle East Office of Technical Support TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ............................................................................................... ii Introduction ........................................................................................................... 4 2014/2015 CSO Sustainability Ratings .............................................................. 12 Country Reports .................................................................................................. 13 Egypt ...................................................................................................................................... 13 Iraq ......................................................................................................................................... 24 Jordan .................................................................................................................................... 32 Lebanon ................................................................................................................................. 41 Morocco................................................................................................................................ 49 West Bank and Gaza .......................................................................................................... 56 Yemen .................................................................................................................................... 67 Annex A: CSO Sustainability Index Methodology ........................................... 78 Annex B: CSOSI 2014/2015 Data ...................................................................... 92 THE 2014/2015 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Egypt Negad El Borai, The United Group (UG) Iraq Jamal Al Jawahiri and Hasan Wahhab, Iraqi Al Amal Association Jordan Dr. Aida Essaid and Ayed Tayyem, The Information and Research Center- King Hussein Foundation Lebanon Roula Mikhael and Layal Bahnam, Maharat Foundation Morocco Asmaa Achemial and Mourad Gourouhi, Tanmia Ma West Bank and Gaza Nicholas Herbert Hyman, Dr. Nader Said, and Reem Ziad-Ghattas, Arab World for Research and Development (AWRAD) Yemen SOUL for Development THE 2014/2015 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA ii Project Managers Management Systems International, Inc. Allison Poyac-Clarkin Alex Nejadian The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law Catherine Shea Jennifer Stuart Elly Page Editorial Committee USAID: Sajda Ouachtouki, Joseph Scheibel, Charles Kiamie III, Mariam Afrasiabi MSI: Allison Poyac-Clarkin ICNL: Elly Page, Kristen McGeeney Regional Expert (Consultant): Hania Aswad THE 2014/2015 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA iii INTRODUCTION USAID is pleased to present the fourth edition of the Civil Society Organization (CSO) Sustainability Index for the Middle East and North Africa, which covers events in calendar years 2014 and 2015. This edition of the Index reports on the strength and overall viability of the CSO sectors in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Yemen, and the West Bank and Gaza. The Index relies on the knowledge of CSO practitioners and researchers, who in each country form an expert panel to assess and rate seven interrelated dimensions of CSO sustainability: legal environment, organizational capacity, financial viability, advocacy, service provision, infrastructure, and public image. The panel proposes a score for each dimension, which can range from 1 (indicating a very advanced civil society sector with a high level of sustainability) to 7 (indicating a fragile, unsustainable sector with a low level of development). Dimension scores are averaged to produce an overall sustainability score. The Index groups all scores into three overarching categories—Sustainability Enhanced (scores from 1 to 3), Sustainability Evolving (3.1-5), and Sustainability Impeded (5.1-7). An editorial committee composed of technical and regional experts reviews the panel’s findings, with the aim of maintaining consistent approaches and standards so as to allow cross-country comparisons. Further details about the methodology used to calculate scores and produce corresponding narrative reports are provided in Annex A. Readers should note that this publication focuses on the situation on the ground in 2014 and 2015. USAID notes that developments in the seven countries and territories covered by this report continue to be turbulent and that the situation in many of them is dramatically different now than it was during the period covered. The Index is a useful source of information for local CSOs, governments, donors, academics, and others who want to better understand and monitor key aspects of sustainability in the CSO sector. The CSO Sustainability Index for the Middle East and North Africa complements similar publications covering other regions, which include reports on twenty-four countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia, thirty countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, seven countries in Asia, as well as Afghanistan and Pakistan.1 These editions of the CSO Sustainability Index bring the total number of countries surveyed to seventy. A publication of this type would not be possible without the contributions of many individuals and organizations. We are grateful to the implementing partners, who played the critical role of facilitating the expert panel meetings and writing the country reports. We would also like to thank the many CSO representatives and experts, USAID partners, and international donors who participated in the expert panels in each country. Their knowledge, perceptions, ideas, observations, and contributions are the foundation upon which the Index is based. 1 The CSO Sustainability Index for Afghanistan and CSO Sustainability Index for Pakistan are made possible by the support of the Aga Khan Foundation. The Aga Khan Foundation also provides funding for the Mali and Kenya country reports for the CSO Sustainability Index for Sub-Saharan Africa. 4 THE 2014/2015 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The CSO Sustainability Index for the Middle East and North Africa evaluates the strength and viability of the CSO sectors in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the West Bank and Gaza, and Yemen. This edition of the Index covers events and trends affecting CSOs over the course of 2014 and 2015. CSOs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) operated in a tumultuous environment during 2014 and 2015, facing challenges ranging from fierce armed conflicts to severe humanitarian and economic crises. In Iraq, the so-called Islamic State militant group (otherwise known as ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh) emerged as an increasingly potent threat, seizing territory in the western and central parts of the country in 2014. The militant group severely violated human rights, particularly those of religious minorities, women, and young girls, and its territorial expansion in Iraq prompted thousands of people to flee. Iraqi CSOs were faced with practical difficulties of operating in and around areas under the group’s control. In 2015, Iraq, as well as Egypt, Lebanon, and Yemen, experienced attacks claimed by the Islamic State or its affiliates. The spread of Islamic State attacks and the group’s recruitment of fighters from abroad intensified security concerns throughout the MENA region and led governments in many countries to adopt new laws and regulations aimed at countering extremist activity. Some of these measures created new restrictions for CSOs, including limits on their ability to receive foreign donor funding. The civil war in Syria, which the Index does not cover, grew in complexity and deadliness throughout 2014 and 2015 and continued to have spillover effects into neighboring countries, including Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon. All three countries, already hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs), faced challenges meeting the needs of growing resident refugee and IDP populations while ensuring security and sufficient resources for host communities. Substantial foreign aid continued to flow to these countries, which helped support CSOs already working on refugee and IDP relief as well as those that adapted their scopes of work to include humanitarian aid activities. In Yemen, meanwhile, promising signs of political reconciliation in early 2014 with the conclusion of the National Dialogue Conference faded later that year, when the Houthi militant group seized the country’s capital, several government institutions, and the army. An international coalition led by Saudi Arabia launched a war on the Houthis in early 2015, leading to thousands of casualties, millions of IDPs, and a new humanitarian crisis in the region. CSOs in Yemen struggled to
Recommended publications
  • Lessons from the Rise and Demise of the Self-Declared Caliphate of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq
    IN A BROKEN DREAM: LESSONS FROM THE RISE AND DEMISE OF THE SELF-DECLARED CALIPHATE OF THE ISLAMIC STATE IN SYRIA AND IRAQ TAL MIMRAN* I. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................77 II. THE PRINCIPLE OF SOVEREIGNTY AND THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL ORDER.............................................79 III. THE CASE STUDYTHE ISLAMIC STATE BETWEEN 2014 AND 2017.......................................................................91 IV. THE DREAM OF THE CALIPHATE AND STATEHOOD................99 A. The Criteria for Statehood............................................100 1. Permanent Population............................................101 2. Defined Territory ....................................................102 3. Effective Government .............................................102 4. Capacity to Enter into Relations with Other States ............................................................103 B. What’s Recognition Got To Do with It? ........................103 V. FUNCTIONALISM, DETERRITORIALIZATION, AND THE ISLAMIC STATE IN THE AGE OF THE RISE OF NSAS............112 VI. CONCLUSION........................................................................127 I. INTRODUCTION The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (Islamic State)1 is a terrorist organization that took over significant territories, in the context of the Syrian civil war,2 and declared itself a caliphate in June 2014.3 It transformed from a minor terrorist group into an alleged quasi-state, presenting capabilities and wealth like no * Doctorate
    [Show full text]
  • The Context for Iraq's Reconstruction
    The ReconstructionThe of Iraq after 2003 eginning in 2003, diverse and significant actors, both domestic and international, engaged MENA DEVELOPMENT REPORT Bin reconstruction activities in Iraq. The total budget committed to Iraq’s reconstruction was unprecedented among postconflict operations mobilized by the international community. Despite the vast sums of money spent, and the implementation of its many projects and programs, the donors and the Iraqi people view the reconstruction efforts in Iraq in a negative light. The Reconstruction of Iraq after 2003: Learning from Its Successes and Failures focuses on the period between 2003 and 2014—that is, after the United States–led invasion and overthrow of the Saddam Public Disclosure Authorized The Reconstruction Hussein regime, and before the sudden rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as Daesh. This book assesses several dimensions of Iraq’s reconstruction. First, it considers the response of key international actors, such as the United Nations, the World Bank, the United States, of Iraq after 2003 and other bilateral donors—specifically, the European Union, Japan, and the United Kingdom—as well as nongovernmental organizations. Second, it analyzes the process and results of the reconstruction Learning from Its of key sectors (electricity, oil, education, and health), and the interventions geared to institution building and governance reform. Successes and Failures Pursuing effective reconstruction within the context of conflict and fra gility is a formidable challenge because of the uncertain, fluid, and complex environment. Based on the experience in Iraq, how can the international community support the effectiveness and durability of reconstruction? This book identifies lessons in seven areas and offers four recommendations for international and domestic actors and citizens engaged in recon struction activities.
    [Show full text]
  • The Causes and Consequences of Terrorism in the 21St Century: the Iraqi Case
    Research Publisher: Manuscript central Available Online at www.ijcrr.info International Journal of Contemporary Research and Review ISSN 0976 – 4852 https://doi.org/10.15520/ijcrr.v10i01.678 February, 2019|Volume 10|Issue 02| Section: Social Sciences The Causes and Consequences of Terrorism in the 21st Century: The Iraqi Case Amer Adil HADI Istanbul Aydin UniversitySocial science: MA Email id: [email protected] Corresponding Author: Amer Adil HADI Received: 2019-01-23; Accepted 2019-02-24, Publish Online 2019-02-25 Abstract: This thesis outlines main causes and consequences of terrorism in the world and specifically in Iraq. The hypothesis of the thesis is that terrorism is the phenomenon that created a lot of impacts in Iraq. Global terrorism in the 21st century has become one of the biggest domestic and international challenges for Iraq. It summarizes transformation of terrorism and the impacts that mark how it is evolved. Terrorism can backfire to a certain level in the political aims of terrorist factions and also reduce the willingness to make territorial and political concessions by targeted population. The evidence of terrorism effectiveness is somehow sparse. The nature of terrorism is being manifested clearly in our everyday life based on the number of victims it claims. The term “terrorism” stated since during the French Revolution in 1789, by the new region to consolidate its powers and intimidate all opponents. Most of the members of the regime were equally strong patriots of the old monarchy. The term was totally of a different connotation and was associated with the purpose of maintaining justice and democracy against the old order which was perceived to be tyrannical and corrupt.
    [Show full text]
  • The Cost and Benefits of Education in Iraq
    THE COST AND BENEFITS OF EDUCATION IN IRAQ: AN ANALYSIS OF THE EDUCATION SECTOR AND STRATEGIES TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS OF EDUCATION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY There has been remarkable progress in education in Iraq. Enrolment in primary education grew tremendously over the past decade, increasing at about 4.1% per year. As of 2015-2016, 9.2 million students are enrolled across all education levels in Iraq. The total enrolment in primary education almost doubled to six million children in 2012 from 3.6 million in 2000. Girls’ enrolment grew at all levels and at faster rates than boys’ enrolment, although they are still enrolled in lower numbers than boys and tend to drop out at a higher rate. The rising number of students and recent financial crisis in Iraq pose new challenges in terms of providing sufficient education resources for the growing number of students. Unless Iraq increases its public education resources, its expanding enrolment will continue to strain existing education resources. In fact, as of 2013, 13.5% of school-aged Iraqi children (1.2 million children) did not have access to basic education.1 For those who are in school, there are large drop out and repetition rates. The quality of education and learning outcomes is decreasing, due in part to multiple-shifting of schools and dropping teacher retention rates. Government spend- ing on education infrastructure also remains low, although there is a marked increase in private schools yielding higher achievement rates. Looking at Iraq Centre and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), this report aims to update the education situation, quantify the economic benefits of education, and identify sources of inefficiencies as well as key priority themes in the education sector with clear links to the National Education Strategy 2011-2020.
    [Show full text]
  • Measuring Army Deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan
    CHILDREN AND FAMILIES The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and EDUCATION AND THE ARTS decisionmaking through research and analysis. ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE This electronic document was made available from www.rand.org as a public service INFRASTRUCTURE AND of the RAND Corporation. TRANSPORTATION INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS LAW AND BUSINESS Skip all front matter: Jump to Page 16 NATIONAL SECURITY POPULATION AND AGING PUBLIC SAFETY Support RAND SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Purchase this document TERRORISM AND Browse Reports & Bookstore HOMELAND SECURITY Make a charitable contribution For More Information Visit RAND at www.rand.org Explore the RAND Corporation View document details Limited Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law as indicated in a notice appearing later in this work. This electronic representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for non- commercial use only. Unauthorized posting of RAND electronic documents to a non-RAND website is prohibited. RAND electronic documents are protected under copyright law. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of our research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please see RAND Permissions. This report is part of the RAND Corporation research report series. RAND reports present research findings and objective analysis that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND reports undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity. C O R P O R A T I O N Measuring Army Deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan Dave Baiocchi SUMMarY ■ How many soldiers have served in Key findings Iraq and Afghanistan? What has the troop mix looked • The Army has provided the bulk of U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • The Experience of Second- Generation Iraqi Kurd
    ‘HOME’ AND ‘RETURN’ – THE EXPERIENCE OF SECOND- GENERATION IRAQI KURD RETERNEES TO KURDISTAN REGIONAL GOVERNMENT (KRG) Juan Ameen University of East London September 2018 1 Abstract! This research focuses on the experiences of migrants who have ‘returned’ to the Kurdish regions of Iraq from neighbouring countries and Europe. It addresses key issues in the field of Refugee Studies, including concepts of return, understandings of home and negotiations of identity and belonging among second generation Iraqi Kurdish returnees. Scholars and researchers have often used these terms loosely and sometimes interchangeably: critical analysis informed by this research suggests that they are related but are also distinct and specific. The second-generation Iraqi Kurds taking part in the study belong to the generation of migrants who were born in diaspora countries or moved to diaspora in their early childhood from the region of Iraqi Kurdistan. These second-generation migrants have a different understanding of ‘home’ to their parents. Their upbringing in diaspora countries and transnational links to ‘homeland’ create a tension between their constructions of ‘home’ and ‘belonging’. The empirical data for this study is based upon an in-depth qualitative study of the experiences of 20 Iraqi Kurd returnees in Kurdistan, most of whom were neither born nor grew up in the KRG region, and had little or no previous experience of their ‘homeland’. Interview themes involved home, transnational ties and attachments, identity and belonging. I propose that second-generation migrants are motivated to ‘return’ because of a strong sense of belonging and a need for identity in relation to a familial and/or ancestral ‘home’.
    [Show full text]
  • ISIS: the Terrorist Group That Would Be a State
    U.S. Naval War College U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons CIWAG Case Studies 12-2015 ISIS: The Terrorist Group That Would Be a State Michael W.S. Ryan Follow this and additional works at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/ciwag-case-studies Recommended Citation Ryan, Michael W.S., "IWS_02 - ISIS: The Terrorist Group That Would Be a State" (2015). CIWAG Irregular Warfare Studies. 2. https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/ciwag-case-studies/4/ This Book is brought to you for free and open access by U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in CIWAG Case Studies by an authorized administrator of U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CIWAG CIWAG IRREGULAR WARFARE STUDIES number 2 CENTER ON IRREGULAR WARFARE AND ARMED GROUPS I RREGULAR W ARFARE S TUDIES ISIS: The Terrorist Group That Would Be a State Michael W. S. Ryan number 2 U.S. Naval War College ISIS: The Terrorist Group That Would Be a State Irregular Warfare Studies In 2008, the U.S. Naval War College established the Center on Irregular Warfare and Armed Groups (CIWAG). The center’s primary mission is to bring together operators, practitioners, and scholars to share academic expertise and knowledge about and operational experience in violent and nonviolent irregular warfare chal- lenges, and to make this important research available to a wider community of interest. Our intent is also to include use of these materials within joint professional military educational (JPME) curricula to fulfill the needs of military practitioners preparing to meet the challenges of the post-9/11 world.
    [Show full text]
  • Nation, Bordering and Identity on the Border Between Turkey and Iraq
    University of Southampton Research Repository Copyright © and Moral Rights for this thesis and, where applicable, any accompanying data are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis and the accompanying data cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder/s. The content of the thesis and accompanying research data (where applicable) must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holder/s. When referring to this thesis and any accompanying data, full bibliographic details must be given, e.g. Thesis: Author (Year of Submission) "Full thesis title", University of Southampton, name of the University Faculty or School or Department, PhD Thesis, pagination. Data: Author (Year) Title. URI [dataset] UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON FACULTY OF SOCIAL, HUMAN AND MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES Geography and Environment NATION, BORDERING AND IDENTITY ON THE BORDER BETWEEN TURKEY AND IRAQ by Bilal GORENTAS Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy SEPTEMBER 2016 UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON ABSTRACT FACULTY OF SOCIAL, HUMAN AND MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES Geography and Environment Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy NATION, BORDERING AND IDENTITY ON THE BORDER BETWEEN TURKEY AND IRAQ BILAL GORENTAS This thesis explores the impact of the border between Turkey and Iraq on Kurdish identity. Since the demarcation of the border in 1926, both Turkey and Iraq have struggled to accommodate their Kurdish citizens into their common national communities.
    [Show full text]
  • The Persecution of Christians in the Middle East
    Helpdesk Report The Persecution of Christians in the Middle East Huma Haider University of Birmingham 16 February 2017 Question What recent evidence exists on the scale and current response to persecution of Christians in the Middle East (including any information of the problems being faced and from which solutions could be worked upon)? Contents 1. Overview 2. Introduction 3. Exodus of Christians 4. Acts of persecution and discrimination against Christians 5. Genocide against Christians 6. Addressing persecution against Christians 7. References 1. Overview A century ago, Christians in the Middle East comprised 20 percent of the population; today, they constitute no more than 3-4 percent of the region’s population (Pew Research Center, 2015; cited in Ben-Meir, 2016). The drastic decline in the number of Christians in the Middle East is considered to be part of a longer-term exodus related to general violence in various countries, lack of economic opportunities in the region, and religious persecution (Katulis et al., 2015; Hanish, 2014; Weiner, 2014). The tremendous changes in the political order in the Middle East since 2003, and the rise of violent extremist ideologies, have adversely impacted on Muslim- Christian relations and on the protection of Christian and other minority groups (Kraft and Manar, 2016; Ben-Meir, 2016; Katulis et al., 2015). While the overall situation of Christians in the Middle East is grim, their status and circumstances vary considerably across the region – with a The K4D helpdesk service provides brief summaries of current research, evidence, and lessons learned. Helpdesk reports are not rigorous or systematic reviews; they are intended to provide an introduction to the most important evidence related to a research question.
    [Show full text]
  • Debate Can Be Civil, Too Remembering on Memorial Day
    SpringfieldSpringfield Franconia❖Kingstowne❖Newington Follow on Twitter: @SprConnection on Twitter: Follow Classified, Page 10 Classified, ❖ Entertainment, Page 8 ❖ Opinion, Page 6 Students from Robert E. Lee High School take to the dance floor at the Day Prom. ‘A‘A DayDay toto Remember’Remember’ News,News, PagePage 33 Remembering On Memorial Day 2017 Debate Can Be Civil, Too Editorial, Page 6 News, Page 12 Photo by Margaret Rembisz www.ConnectionNewspapers.comJune 1-7, 2017 online at www.connectionnewspapers.comSpringfield Connection ❖ June 1-7, 2017 ❖ 1 5 2017 Special VIP Offer for your Toyota ALEXANDRIA TOYOTA 2 ❖ Springfield Connection ❖ June 1-7, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Springfield Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic News 703-778-9414 or [email protected] Photos by Ashley Claire Simpson Claire by Ashley Photos Students from nine high schools – Chantilly, Herndon, Lake Braddock, Lee, Oakton, Robinson, Stuart, Westfield and Woodson — participated in the Day Prom at the Waterford on May 24. Students with special needs enjoy ‘A Day to Remember’ their own Day Prom. By Ashley Claire Simpson intervention as they try to communicate The Connection with any of the other students here, we’re here to step in and help them facilitate a ore than 16 years ago, Pop- conversation,” said Andreani, who also lar Tree Elementary School’s works at West Springfield. “Being here al- Mthen special education Rembisz by Margaret Photo lows us to see how our kids are reaching teacher, Chris Pascarella, their communication goals outside the class- had a vision of her students’ upcoming high room. And, for the kids here who do go to school experience.
    [Show full text]
  • Human Capital in Iraq1
    Helpdesk Report Human capital in Iraq1 Kerina Tull University of Leeds Nuffield Centre for International Health and Development 18 May 2018 Question What is the current state and future trajectory of human capital development in Iraq (health and WASH, education, family planning, and social protection), and how does it vary across the population? Contents 1. Overview 2. Current state 3. Future trajectories 4. References 1 This report is part of a series of six reports on Iraq. The K4D helpdesk service provides brief summaries of current research, evidence, and lessons learned. Helpdesk reports are not rigorous or systematic reviews; they are intended to provide an introduction to the most important evidence related to a research question. They draw on a rapid desk- based review of published literature and consultation with subject specialists. Helpdesk reports are commissioned by the UK Department for International Development and other Government departments, but the views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of DFID, the UK Government, K4D or any other contributing organisation. For further information, please contact [email protected]. 1. Overview This rapid review has found that human capital is developing in Iraq after years of stagnation due to the 2003 war, where the health and education sectors were hit particularly strongly (OCHA, 2018:5). About 50% of Iraq’s population is under 19 years old, and youth unemployment is very high at 34.6% (World Bank, 2017). There is a strong need to invest in young people, to release their economic value at the individual, employer, and community levels. A number of plans and strategies to help build collective skills, knowledge, or other intangible assets of individuals are noted in this review.
    [Show full text]
  • The Islamic State: How Viable Is It? Yoram Schweitzer and Omer Einav, Editors
    The Islamic State: How Viable Is It? Yoram Schweitzer and Omer Einav, Editors COVER The Islamic State: How Viable Is It? Yoram Schweitzer and Omer Einav, Editors Institute for National Security Studies THE INSTITUTE FOR NATIONAL SECURcITY STUDIES INCORPORATING THE JAFFEE b d TheCENTER FOR STRA InstituteTEGIC STUDIES for National Security Studies (INSS), incorporating the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, was founded in 2006. The purpose of the Institute for National Security Studies is first, to conduct basic research that meets the highest academic standards on matters related to Israel’s national security as well as Middle East regional and international security affairs. Second, the Institute aims to contribute to the public debate and governmental deliberation of issues that are – or should be – at the top of Israel’s national security agenda. INSS seeks to address Israeli decision makers and policymakers, the defense establishment, public opinion makers, the academic community in Israel and abroad, and the general public. INSS publishes research that it deems worthy of public attention, while it maintains a strict policy of non-partisanship. The opinions expressed in this publication are the authors’ alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Institute, its trustees, boards, research staff, or the organizations and individuals that support its research. The Islamic State: How Viable Is It? Yoram Schweitzer and Omer Einav, Editors THE INSTITUTE FOR NATIONAL SECURcITY STUDIES INCORPORATING THE JAFFEE b d CENTER FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES המדינה האסלאמית דגל שחור מתנוסס מעליה יורם שוייצר ועומר עינב, עורכים Editor: Judith Rosen Graphic design: Michal Semo-Kovetz, Yael Bieber Cover design: Michal Semo-Kovetz, Adva Lubrani Printing: Elinir Institute for National Security Studies (a public benefit company) 40 Haim Levanon Street POB 39950 Ramat Aviv Tel Aviv 6997556 Tel.
    [Show full text]