Eleventh Edition - September 30, 2014 - Konrad-Adenauer

KAS JORDAN OFFICE
EDITION 11
September 30, 2014
Inside
KAS events During Spring
2014
“Promote Knowledge on the
Concepts of Human Rights”
The First Coordination Meeting
of Local and International Actors Engaged in the Support of
Political Parties and the Electoral Process/ Observation
Study and Dialogue Program
for WEO Representatives from
Erbil/ Kurdistan Region of Iraq
KAS Has A Face
Hala Abu Ghazaleh
Political Reports
Recent Publications
KAS events During Summer 2014
The scene of year 2014 is predominated by sectarian
and political conflicts throughout the Middle East. Not
only had the West to face the far reaching spillovers of
the crises in Iraq, Syria and Gaza forcing it to rethink
its previous strategies for Arab countries. Both, the
excessive use of violence by the Islamic State, ushering in the displacement of a large influx of refugees
from Iraq, and the Gaza conflict intensified the already
strained social, political and economic situation in Jordan presenting to the limited resources country enormous challenges it probably will not be able to manage without international aid. The threat emanating
from the Islamic State at the national borders with
Syria and Iraq as well as the danger of a growing of
this organization among the Jordanian youth reveals a
societal and political dilemma and leaves the question
open on how to effectively deal with this phenomenon.
Along those lines, KAS Jordan conducted several projects and workshops in the past quarter to strengthen
governmental and civil society structures in order to
consolidate Human Rights and democratic principles.
Promote Knowledge
Human Rights
on
the
Concepts
in
The KAS Jordan Newsletter is
published online by:
KAS Jordan Office
23, Ismaeel Haqqi Abdoh St.
Sweifieh
P.O. Box 831025
11183 Amman, Jordan
Phone: +962 6 5929777
Fax: +962 6 5933087
www.kas.de/jordanien
Editors: Dr. Otmar Oehring
Muna Sukhni
Design and Layout: Josefine
Sanchez
Several needs assessment reports highlight a gap
existing in the knowledge and understanding of human rights among Jordanians in the southern part
of Jordan compared with people living in the centre
and north of Jordan. KAS Jordan in cooperation with
The Reference for Development and Training Foundation (RDTF) organized a two-day training workshop
on “Promoting Knowledge on the Concepts of Human Rights“ for the period 30-31/8/2014 at All Jordan Youth Commission in Irbid to promote and raise
awareness of human rights.
The First Coordination Meeting of Local and
International Actors Engaged in the Support
of Political Parties and the Electoral Process/
Observation
On August 24th, the first quarterly coordination
meeting of local and international actors engaged in
the support of political parties and the electoral
process observation took place. This meeting, part of an
EU Co-funded project, was organized by KAS Jordan
in cooperation with Al Quds Center for Political Studies and the Jordanian Center for Civic Education Studies (JCCES). It was an occasion to exchange the best
practices and to establish a network of like- minded
organizations in order to consult and coordinate their
activities with regards to political parties and the 2016
electoral process. The meeting was also an occasion
to present the ongoing work of the project and to disseminate it widely.
The meeting started with an opening speech by Dr.
Otmar Oehring, the Resident Representative of KAS
Jordan. Then, the floor was opened for discussion
moderated by Dr. Mohammad Abu Rumman, a political
analyst and researcher. He noted, in his remarks that
several international institutions are in the process of
developing Jordan’s Civil Society and political life with
a successful role. He highlighted coordination as an
essential element of preventing conflicts or duplicity of
efforts exerted by those organizations.
Mr. Oraib Al-Rantawi, director of Alquds Center for
Political Studies, talked about the importance of
strengthening the role of political parties in the context of the Jordanian political reform. He said that
Jordan should benefit from the expertise of international organizations by working with them aside from
the financial support they provide to implement their
projects in Jordan.
Al-Rantawi emphasized the importance of the election
law in creating a democratic base for effective political
parties.
Mr. Dragisa Zivkovic, Resident Program Officer, from
the International Republican Institute, stated that developing the performance of Political Parties cannot
just be implanted but is a process that needs time.
2
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V.
NEWSLETTER
KAS JORDAN OFFICE
EDITION 11 | Septemeber 30,
2014
He added that the IRI is currently working with 24
Political Parties on programs that develop their media
outreach, with focus put on the involvement of the
youth in these Parties. Finally, he said that political
parties worldwide have the goal of competing that allows them to make decisions for the future.
Mrs. Mona Al-Alami, director of the Jordanian Center
of Civic Education Studies (JCCE) presented the center’s activities in enhancing the role of youth in political parties and the electoral process.
Mr. Al-Khatib, director of Al Badeel Center for
Studies and Research explained the center’s work and
all the projects so far performed and other current
ones aiming at raising young people’s awareness of
the electoral process, and strengthening their understanding of political parties.
Mr. Jamal Al-Khatib talked about the Political Parties
Law, its amendments and the political party funding
system.
Dr. Mohammad Aljribia, director of Al Thoria Center
for Studies Training and Consultation explained how
the political participation in the Jordanian society can
be enhanced.
At the end of the meeting, the participants recommended more coordination among the stakeholders
to avoid unnecessary duplication of reform related
efforts. International, local institutions and political
parties should complement each other, the participants concluded.
Study and Dialogue Program for WEO
Representatives from Erbil/ Kurdistan Region
of Iraq
KAS Has A Face
Today is: Hala Abu Ghazaleh
Working for KAS Jordan
Since: 2014
Email: hala.abu-ghazaleh@kas.
de
Hala about Hala: My name is
Hala Abu Ghazaleh, married with
three children, two boys and one
girl.
I finished my high school education at Rosary College in Amman, and then I joined
Jordan University and graduated there with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Public Administration. In 2004, I got my Certified Hospitality Supervision
from the American Academy for Hotel Management.
In 2008, I rejoined Jordan University and obtained
my Master’s degree in Diplomatic Studies, majoring in
Strategic Studies.
I worked for the Ministry of Political Development
for two years, and from there I moved to the Higher
Council of Youth on a project for developing the fiveyear strategy plan for Jordan.
I joined the American Community School in early 2014
as a teacher of Arabic for Middle and High School.
Presently, I am an EU project Manager for the EU sponsored project “Multi-Party Democracy”: Strengthening the Role of Political Parties in Jordan’s Democratic Reform Process Project, in KAS Jordan Office.
Political Reports
•
Dr. Otmar Oehring: Die Bedeutung der KurdenIhre Rolle im Kampf gegen den Islamischen Staat im
Nordirak und ihre Bestrebungen nach einem unabhängigen Staat (available in German) http://www.
kas.de/jordanien/de/publications/38681/
•
Dr. Otmar Oehring: Die Entwicklung von ISIL
auf Jordanien-Die Entwicklungen im Irak und
deren Gefahrenpotential für Jordanien (available in
German) http://www.kas.de/jordanien/de/publications/38254/
Recent Publications:
In September 2014, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in Berlin invited womens’ rights activists and representatives from the field of Justice and Kurdish politicians
associated with the Women Empowerment Organization (WEO) to a study tour in Berlin and Düsseldorf,
accompanied by Dr. Otmar Oehring, Resident Representative of KAS Jordan. KAS Jordan, which is also
responsible for projects in Iraq, has been cooperating
for two years with WEO, an Iraqi non-governmental
organization based in Erbil. WEO is taking measures
to strengthen the position of womens’ role. The aim
of the study and dialogue program was to share with
the participants the way Germany strengthened the
position of women in society and to make them familiar with ways of handling womens’ rights issues and
solutions.
•
Dr. Otmar Oehring, interview with KAS.de: Frieden
in Syrien ohne Verhandlungslösung unmöglich
(available
in
German)
http://www.kas.de/wf/
de/33.38495/
•
Dr. Otmar Oehring: Auf der Flucht vor den IS-Terroristen (available in German) http://www.kas.de/
jordanien/de/publications/38617/

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