Supporting Young Civil-Rights Leaders in the Middle East and North Africa

Successful revolutions do not ensure successful democracies. The Arab Spring, which began in Tunisia and spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa, offers an opportunity for human-rights activists to create governments that are free and open to all citizens regardless of race, class, gender, or religion. But human-rights activists are not the only ones trying to take advantage of this opportunity, and the work to bring about a just and equal society requires the endurance of a marathon runner, not a sprinter.

UUSC recognizes the key role that youth leaders are playing in Egypt, Tunisia, and across the region. Youth were responsible for the initial spark and continue to be active leaders in the transitional governments of Egypt and Tunisia as well as in continued nonviolent protests in places like Syria, Bahrain, and Yemen. As a human-rights organization, UUSC supports these youth leaders to build their capacity as civil-rights leaders.

Partnership in action

Egypt

Prior to the revolution in Egypt, UUSC worked with the American Islamic Congress (AIC) to translate into Arabic and distribute copies of The Montgomery Story, a comic about the U.S. civil-rights movement. During the revolution, Dalia Ziada, director of AIC's Cairo office, distributed copies of the comic in Tahrir Square. 

In the immediate days after Mubarak's departure, UUSC worked with Ziada to design and implement a creative voter- and civic-education campaign that empowered youth and young people to educate family, friends, and community members across Egypt on their rights as citizens and how to participate in democratic processes like elections. The campaign, called Fahem Haqi — which in English means "I know my rights" — has taken off, and the youth activists have trained over 10,000 Egyptian citizens so far.

UUSC is currently working to identify an additional partner in Egypt.

Middle East region

UUSC also works with AIC at a regional level to build the capacity of a network of online activists to effect on-the-ground change in their own countries and communities.   Providing space, both in person and online, to share stories, strategies, and resources ensures that activists are able to continually build their skills and capacity as civil-rights leaders. A strong network of activists can set the agenda for positive change and human rights across the region.

In 2009, UUSC and AIC brought together 22 activists from across the Middle East for a training workshop that built the "real world" mobilization skills of talented online activists. Supported by UUSC after the conference with micro-grants, these activists went on to organize groundbreaking events in their hometowns that addressed controversial issues such as religious freedoms and women's political participation.

UUSC is currently working with AIC to develop an online portal for activists to document their work, interact with other activists, and highlight important human-rights efforts happening across the region.