Towards a Global Research Agenda on Civic Engagement: Lessons from a Decade of Mobilization in the Arab Region

Project Description

This two-year collaborative exploratory project seeks to address a gap in research on how civic engagement and social mobilization can promote accountable governance in fragile and transition contexts, including reflections on the coalitions formed, the policy changes targeted, the response of elites/the state, the role of knowledge and knowledge producers in advocating for policy change and the interactions between local, national, regional and international actors in policy formulation and implementation.

The Asfari Institute’s research delves into advocacy strategies employed by feminist civil society groups in the MENA region, with a focus on their mobilization efforts in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Tunisia over the past decade. It explores how these activists have advocated for change, their interactions with government bodies, and the challenges and successes they have encountered. The study also assesses the impact of these strategies on civic engagement, the factors influencing their effectiveness, and how activists perceive the outcomes of their campaigns. Additionally, it seeks to bridge a knowledge gap by examining the intricate relationship between feminist activism and accountable governance in fragile and transitional contexts.