Donors & Intermediaries: Critical Self-Awareness and a Conversation Guide
Collaborative Efforts towards Collective Impact Series – Paper (2)
This is our second briefing and reflection paper on intermediaries. It contributes to an ongoing critical reflection in the aid sector.The behaviours of notably international aid agencies, acting as ‘intermediaries’ for the funding to local and national actors (LNA), have come under scrutiny, given the international commitments to better support and reinforce national and local actors. Several INGOs have also been developing their ‘localisation’, ‘partnering’ and at times ‘anti-racism’ and ‘decolonisation’ policies. The first paper ‘Intermediary Organisations under the Spotlight. Why?’ looks at what we mean with ‘intermediary’ and why ‘back-donors’ or ‘funding partners’ use them. Most organisations playing an intermediation role with aid money are international, but there can very well be, and are, also national ones. That paper unpacked how intermediaries can add value but can also abuse their power over national and local actors they sub-grant to. It also stated that intermediary organisations make choices about how they handle their ‘intermediation’ position: Do they see themselves as merely an executive instruments of the donor’s plans, putting pressure on the LNA to fall in line with those? Do they see themselves as primarily a supporter of LNA, pushing back at the funder’s unhelpful demands? Do they see themselves as brokers who try to manage, if not resolve, tensions and discrepancies between the donor’s ideas and requirements and the LNA’s ideas and capabilities? Do they want to maintain the intermediation role, because it is a valid business model and offers quite some power and resources?
Intermediary Organizations under the Spotlight: Why?
The Collaborative Efforts towards Collective Impact Series -Paper (1)
In 2016, at the World Humanitarian Summit, all the big players in the international humanitarian aid system, committed to ‘better support and reinforce national and local actors’. Since then, the roles and behaviors of notably international aid agencies, acting as ‘intermediaries’ for the funding to national and local actors, have come under closer review. This briefing paper looks at what we mean by ‘intermediary’ and why ‘back-donors’ use them. It unpacks how intermediaries can add value but can also abuse their power over national and local actors they sub-grant to. Abusive behavior can come from specific individuals, but unjust practices can be more structurally embedded in how an organization sees its intermediation role, and its wider organizational culture and self-image. Organizations playing intermediary roles now can and must reflect self-critically about how they choose to play that role. The next briefing paper will offer practical guidance for the conversations back-donors can and must have with those they fund in intermediary roles.
Localizing UNSCR 1325: The Role of Jordanian Women-Led CSOs
This Policy Brief outlines the analysis drawn from the research “The role of civil society organizations with women leadership implementing UNSCR 1325 and JONAP in Jordan” conducted from April to August 2023 by the Al Nahda Women Studies Unit Team at ARDD. Serving as the primary foundation for the reasoning and recommendations developed herein, the research sheds light on the challenges encountered by women-led civil society organizations (WLCSOs) while also identifying diverse opportunities inherent to the localization process. Emphasizing the crucial role of WLCSOs in overcoming challenges and capitalizing on opportunities in the localization of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, this brief aims to inform policies and practices that empower WLCSOs and promote their role in the sustainable implementation of the Jordanian National Action Plan. This brief provides recommendations for policymakers, donors, and civil society organizations to enhance the Localizing UNSCR 1325 and empower women-led civil society CSOs.
What role for refugee women in Jordan thirteen years after the Syrian crisis?
In recent years, Jordan has demonstrated significant humanitarian leadership in the region, hosting over 1.3 million refugees from Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Iraq, and Somalia, a substantial part of whom are women. Often showcasing leadership within their families and communities, women play a critical role in weaving a resilient social fabric within Jordan, both in refugees and host communities. Nonetheless, their active participation at different levels of societal development still needs to be fully prioritized by policymakers and stakeholders, alongside the incredible potential it has in transforming challenges into opportunities and shaping a more inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous Arab world. Today, thirteen years after the Syrian crisis that led to displacement and biggest flux of refugees in Jordan, it is crucial to look at the situation from a strengthen, more inclusive point of view. Greater emphasis should be placed on how women refugees’ involvement in social and economic opportunities and the creation of space for their voices to be heard is enriching not only their own lives, but also the broader Jordanian community, holding immense potential for bolstering the country’s socio-economic reality. This policy brief presents several recommendations for achieving full and fair integration of refugees into economic and social systems, represented by Enhance effective gender mainstreaming within the discussion on durable solutions through Gender-Responsive Policy Framework, Enhance access to education for young girls and women, Implementing targeted legal empowerment programs to enhance women’s access to justice, Establish community-based skill-sharing initiatives that bring together refugees and host community members to exchange knowledge and expertise, Develop and implement targeted Resilience and Participation Projects aimed at enhancing the resilience and participation of women and girls, Implement Comprehensive Training Programs, and Implement certification and fast-track employment procedures to integrate qualified women refugees into sectors in need in Jordan.
From Military Integration to Sustainable Peace
Redefining the Role of Civil Society in the WPS Agenda
The Women, Peace and Security Agenda established by the United Nations Security Council through Resolution 1325 in 2000 represents a transformative milestone in international policy. Initially conceived to address the unique impacts of conflicts on women and to promote their active participation in peace and security efforts, the WPS agenda has since expanded into a comprehensive framework designed to support women’s involvement in all aspects of public life, including during peacetime and in crises situations that do not involve armed conflict. However, despite its broad scope and ambitions, the implementation of the WPS agenda has increasingly skewed towards militarized approaches, particularly through the development of National Action Plans. This paper argues that the emphasis on integrating women into military roles in Jordan and across the Arab region, while important, is insufficient. Gender equality and meaningful participation can only be achieved with a paradigm shift towards more inclusive, non-militarized strategies that can empower women within and beyond military structures. This paper presents a number of recommendations: integrating civil society into national security mechanisms, promoting cross-sectoral partnerships for peacebuilding, and encourage donors to prioritize funding for WPS programming that fosters collaboration between civil society organizations and the military.
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. It explores the question of social justice and political participation to explore how political participation links in a mutual relationship with the betterment of the living conditions of all members of society. Human and inclusive development prioritizes social justice and, empowers people to participate in decision-making. At the same time, people organizing and mobilizing to achieve social justice build stronger and more effective institutions that can respond to the challenges of their context and ensure a more robust democracy. The brief is an output of the Youth Civic and Political Participation Policy Labs, conducted by the Arab Renaissance and Democracy (ARDD) in partnership with the Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan, as part of the New Generation Program. It highlights the fourth session on social justice and youth political participation, and what twenty political science and law students from the University of Jordan discussed in this regard. Following the labs´ work methodology, the session hosted human rights expert Dr. Riyad Sobh. Policy Labs are part of ARDD’s research methodology, providing a dedicated space for discussing and researching public policy issues to enhance youth capacities and equip them with the necessary skills to engage in public policy-making processes. The labs also facilitate exchanging opinions with experts and researchers specialized in relevant topics, based on background papers prepared to address these issues.
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. The brief is an output of the Youth Civic and Political Participation Policy Labs, conducted by the Arab Renaissance and Democracy (ARDD) in partnership with the Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan, as part of the New Generation Program. It highlights the third session of the lab that addressed Human Rights, Freedom of Expression, and Youth Political Participation, and what twenty political science and law students from the University of Jordan discussed in this regard. Following the labs´ work methodology, the session hosted legal consultant Adv. Rami Qweider and moderated by human rights expert Dr. Riyad Sobh. Policy Labs are part of ARDD’s research methodology, providing a dedicated space for discussing and researching public policy issues to enhance youth capacities and equip them with the necessary skills to engage in public policy-making processes. The labs also facilitate exchanging opinions with experts and researchers specialized in relevant topics, based on background papers prepared to address these issues.
Investing in Human & Youth Civic and Political Participation in Jordan
This policy brief focuses on human capital and how it affects political and civic participation in Jordan among youth, women, and other sectors of society, as well as notions of active citizenship. It also explores the connections between a holistic approach to development – that focuses on human well-being and needs and thus ensures social protection for people and their environments – and political and civic participation. The paper contextualizes and analyzes the challenges and opportunities of human capital in Jordan, as a main factor for an active and well-informed involvement of all citizens. The brief is an output of the Youth Civic and Political Participation Policy Labs, conducted by the Arab Renaissance and Democracy (ARDD) in partnership with the Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan, as part of the New Generation Program. It highlights the second session of the lab titled Investing in Human Capital to Strengthen Youth Civic and Political Participation, and what twenty political science and law students from the University of Jordan discussed in this regard. Following the labs´ work methodology, the session hosted expert economist Dr. Raad Al-Tall, Head of the Department of Business Economics at the University of Jordan. It was moderated by human rights expert Dr. Riyad Sobh. Policy Labs are part of ARDD’s research methodology, providing a dedicated space for discussing and researching public policy issues to enhance youth capacities and equip them with the necessary skills to engage in public policy-making processes. The labs also facilitate exchanging opinions with experts and researchers specialized in relevant topics, based on background papers prepared to address these issues.
The General Pardon Law No.5 of 2024 and Its Impact on Refugees: Insights from ARDD
The Jordanian General Pardon Law No. 5 of 2024 is essential legislation for pardoning specific crimes committed before March 19, 2024. It provides a path to rectify the legal status of many, including refugees in Jordan. This paper examines the practical application of Jordan’s Refugee Pardon Law, focusing on The Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) ´s efforts to encourage its application. Furthermore, it serves to highlight how refugees used this law and its impact on refugee communities to shed light on the effectiveness and challenges of legal frameworks in humanitarian contexts. ARDD has also advocated for addressing the legal and financial obstacles faced by refugees through the implementation of the law. ARDD seizes this opportunity to express deep gratitude for UNHCR’s unwavering support in providing legal aid services. With this regard, ARDD wishes to underscore a critical recommendation that has emerged from the recent collaborations with UNHCR and other partners within the Jordan Protection Working Group which is to raise more funding from international donors and partners to expand the reach and impact of legal aid services.
Youth Political Participation in Jordan between Political Knowledge Production and Practice
This policy brief highlights the first session of the youth participation policies lab, entitled: “Political and Civic Participation and its Importance for Democracy, Governance, and Human Development” according to the methodology of the policy lab work, which was held by ARDD in partnership with the Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan, within the framework of the New Generation Project. This policy brief, which comes within the youth civic and political participation policy briefs series, addressed what twenty participants from political science and law students from the University of Jordan discussed during the session featured Prof. Zaid Eyadat, Director of The Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan and was moderated by human rights expert Dr. Riyad Sobh. The session discussed political participation in Jordan, specifically concerning critical analysis of the political science development level in Jordanian academic circles and knowledge production where It is necessary to look at these two dimensions together to understand how they affect the production of knowledge and working through it, and the importance of the interaction of these elements leading to the political participation of youth in the Jordanian context, which is often characterized by a lack of knowledge depth and reliance on theories and intellectual and scientific trends related to this field. Policy Labs are part of ARDD’s research methodology, providing a dedicated space for discussing and researching public policy issues with the aim of enhancing the capacities of youth and equipping them with the necessary skills to engage in public policy-making processes. The labs also facilitate exchanging opinions with experts and researchers specialized in relevant topics, based on background papers prepared to address these issues.