Publication Type: Newsletter

Renaissance Strategic Centre (RSC) BULLETIN Sixth Edition January 2026

Dear Friends and Partners of the Renaissance Strategic Centre (RSC), the think tank of the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD), As we enter 2026, we welcome you to the sixth edition of the RSC Bulletin. At a time of ongoing conflict, shrinking humanitarian space, and mounting governance challenges across the Arab region, this edition highlights ARDD and RSC’s work in advancing inclusive governance, social justice, and rights-based responses. From participatory governance and women’s and youth leadership initiatives to sustained engagement on the question of Palestine, forced displacement, and social protection, the Bulletin reflects both the urgency of the moment and the resilience of those driving change on the ground. In the words of Chan Hellman, “hope is the belief that we have the power to make it so.” Guided by this belief, we remain committed to evidence-based analysis, meaningful partnerships, and amplifying marginalized voices. We hope this edition offers reflection, insight, and renewed purpose as we work together toward a more just and inclusive future.

RSC BULLETIN Fourth Edition May 2025

We are pleased to present the fourth edition of the Renaissance Strategic Center (RSC) Bulletin, covering the period from February 2025 until now and, highlighting the Center’s key activities, research developments, and strategic engagements. This year has been shaped by major challenges, including significant cuts to U.S. funding for international aid, the ongoing genocide in Palestine, now entering its 19th month with devastating humanitarian consequences, in addition to the mounting threats to the women’s rights agenda and civic space across the region. These developments continue to reshape the humanitarian, development, and policy landscape. In this context, RSC, along with ARDD, remains committed to advancing evidence-based policy reform, strengthening advocacy leadership, and addressing critical regional issues. This bulletin captures RSC’s latest contributions toward promoting equity, dignity, and justice across the Arab region and beyond.

RSC BULLETIN Third Edition February 2025

  Dear readers,   We are pleased to share the third edition of the Renaissance Strategic Center (RSC) Bulletin! This newsletter seeks to provide you with an overview of the center’s most significant news and updates, covering the period from August 2024 until now. With the start to the new year, RSC remains dedicated to its core values of equity, justice and sustainable development and wishes everyone a year filled with peace, progress and prosperity. KEY UPDATES   What Numbers Will Never Capture: Gaza Deep Wounds and Enduring Hope in Palestine ARDD welcomes the beginning of a ceasefire in Gaza as a glimmer of hope in a sea of wrath. This ceasefire, if implemented, represents a necessary step towards the freedom of Palestine and the dismantling of colonial oppression….READ MORE 19 Jan 2025   ARDD and JONAF honor AECID–Jordan with the Al Nahda Localization Award 2024y To emphasize the importance of localization of humanitarian and development work in Jordan and effective partnership between civil society and international institutions in strengthening it, especially in times of peace and crises, conflicts, and unrest in the region, the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) and the Jordan National NGO Forum (JONAF) honored the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) – Jordan with the Al Nahda Award for the localization of humanitarian action for the year 2024…READ MORE 10 Dec 2024 LATEST PUBLICATIONS   Advancing Equality: Assessing Women’s Machineries in the Arab Region The establishment of women’s machineries has been prioritized since 1975 by the international community when the United Nations held the first World Conference on Women in Mexico…READ MORE  26 Nov 2024   Raising Tomorrow’s Leaders Family plays a crucial role in fostering female leadership in the Arab world, providing emotional, financial, and psychological support that enables young women to navigate societal challenges and pursue leadership roles…READ MORE  1 Sep 2024 The Question of Palestine Program   GNQP on UNRWA: countering Israel’s ban After the Israeli Knesset passed two bills on October 28, 2024, aiming to ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from operating across all occupied Palestine, ARDD engaged its Global Network of Experts on the Question of Palestine (GNQP) to explore possible paths forward…READ MORE 5 Jan 2025   One Year into the War on Gaza.. an Educide amid the Genocide! About a year ago, when the war on Gaza began, a new term derived from “genocide”, Educide or Scholasticide both indicating the “deliberate extermination of the educational sector”, entered the dictionary of terms and wars…READ MORE  7 Oct 2024   ARDD Participates in Palestinian Solidarity Event in UK Parliament ARDD’s Senior Advisor on the Question of Palestine, Dr. Lex Takkenberg, was one of the speakers at an event, “Defending Palestinian Rights: Humanitarian and Legal Perspectives,” on Tuesday at the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. The event was organised by the Palestinian Return Centre to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People…READ MORE 28 Nov 2024   Israel’s UNRWA Ban: Undermining the Right of Return and Reinforcing Settler-Colonial Erasure On 28 October 2024, the Israeli Knesset passed two bills aimed at banning the operations and functions of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) across all occupied Palestine… READ MORE 3 Nov 2024 Migration, Forced Displacement, Asylum, and Statelessness in the Arab World Program   The Return of Syrian Refugees: Considerations and Determinants “Since declaring the fall of the former regime in Syria, there has been talk of the return of Syrian refugees, whose number amounts to over 6 million refugees all over the world….READ MORE  8 Jan 2025   An Enduring Limbo: Europe’s Decision to Pause Syrian Asylum Applications On the 8th of December 2024, celebrations erupted in Damascus as opposition fighters, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), took control of the city, forcing President Bashar Al-Assad out of power. This came after 13 years of civil war and crisis that has destroyed the country and led to the internal displacement and exile of most of the population…READ MORE  6 Jan 2025   In Crises, Who Cares? In 2023, weather-related hazards such as storms, floods, fires and droughts displaced more than 26 million people. Projections indicate that by 2050, more than 200 million people each year will need humanitarian assistance due to climate-related disasters…READ MORE 9 Dec 2024   Joint Statement: Human Rights Organizations Call for Urgent Action Against Forced Displacement in Gaza  We, the undersigned human rights organizations, draw the attention of United Nations (UN) member states to Israel’s cataclysmic forced displacement of Palestinians in and from Gaza, the West Bank, and South Lebanon…READ MORE  23 Sep 2024   Illegal Emigration: Jordan’s Hidden Crisis  “The question of emigration of Jordanians seems to be unresolved, the strong desire to emigrate reflects deep anxiety among Jordanian youth and a loss of confidence in their homeland, where opportunities are limited, and prospects are blocked.”…READ MORE  11 Sep 2024 Women and Youth Empowerment Youth Civic and Political Participation   “Hope is a Picture that’s Worth a Thousand Words” Project Concludes and the results of the “Jabal Amman” competition are announced Under the patronage of the City Manager at the Amman Municipality, Eng. Ahmed Malkawi, on behalf of the Mayor of Amman, the results of the “Jabal Amman: Past, Present, and Future” competition within the “Hope is a Picture that’s Worth a Thousand Words” project were announced by the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD),… READ MORE 28 Dec 2024   The Role of Social Justice Concepts in Empowering Youth & Enhancing their Political Participation This policy brief looks at the links between political participation and social justice and how the two reinforce each other…READ MORE 7 Sep 2024   Human Rights and Freedom of Expression and Youth Political Participation This policy brief focuses on the link between respect for human rights, freedom of expression, political participation, democratic participation in political parties, institutions, and civil society organizations, and social and civic spaces.…READ MORE 26 Aug 2024   Investing