In line with ARI’s approach to use rigorous research to understand and support diverse actors to build coalitions for sustainable reform in the region, this project seeks to analyze and advise the human rights actors in the region in a collaborative relationship to adjust to major social and political shifts in the post-Arab Spring period. The first phase of the project focuses on human rights defenders in Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia.

The project looks at human rights actors, and their relations with the state, Islamist movements, other parts of civil society, the internal governance systems of human rights organizations and their impact.

It aims to put forward recommendations that are informed by a thorough review of the past trajectory of human rights actions and the socio-political context over the last five years. This will be aided by qualitative and quantitative analyses and workshops with stakeholders from human rights organizations, donors, governments, and research and academic institutions. Its goal is to contribute to transforming human rights organizations to become better understood, more strategic, adequately supported and more effective.

Over the course of the coming months, ARI will be publishing a series of 18 papers as part of this project.