Egypt 2021

Universal Rights

Humanizing Human Rights Cases

$80,000

To humanize human rights cases. The project will collect, document, and make publicly available the stories of victims of human rights abuses. Corresponding evidence about their cases will also be compiled and included for advocacy campaigns and documentation efforts. The project will collect information about victims through primary source interviews and in cooperation with civil society.

Democratic Governance

National Budget Monitoring and Analysis

$36,000

To promote accountability and transparency of the Egyptian national budget. The grantee will monitor, examine, and analyze Egypt’s national budget allocation. It will produce an annual report and make its findings accessible to national and international organizations, distribute monthly bulletins on key issues and debates related to budget spending and allocation, and advocate for greater budget accountability and transparency.

Universal Rights

Developing a New Generation of Independent Media Professionals

$29,000

To support and strengthen independent media by building a new generation of independent journalists, particularly from marginalized communities. The organization will train and mentor young journalists and emerging media professionals to produce professional quality media content. The organization will provide material and logistical support for trainees to contribute to or work for independent media outlets or initiatives.

Democratic Governance

Defending Land and Housing Rights

$45,500

To promote greater transparency and community engagement on land and housing rights. The project will monitor, disseminate information, and advocate for greater transparency of public-private development project plans. It will engage community members in identifying alternative policies and solutions and publish quarterly reports and a final comprehensive report on land and housing rights.

Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE)

Empowering Private Sector Stakeholders to Advance Market Reforms IV

$649,078

To maintain space for the private sector to engage in policy dialogue with diverse stakeholders in an increasingly restrictive environment; to enhance the capacity of the Egyptian private sector to advocate market economic reforms based on rule of law; and to prepare the next generation of public policy leaders. The Center will continue its successful, multi-stakeholder National Dialogue program; support diverse private sector partner organizations to advocate economic reform; and prepare the next generation of policymakers through its Public Policy Excellence Program.

Universal Rights

Sustaining Civil Society Organizations

$75,000

To sustain the work of independent civil society organizations (CSOs) and help them establish alternative methods for continuing their work. The grantee will provide technical and financial support for at least five CSOs based in the MENA region to facilitate organizational sustainability through access to broader CSO networks and stable operating environments.

Democratic Governance

Supporting Participatory Governance and Accountability in the Education Sector

$60,000

To promote participatory governance and accountability in the education sector. The project will support and build the capacity of coalitions of education stakeholders in seven governorates to advocate for legislative and regulatory reforms to improve access and quality of education for all students. An advocacy campaign will include strategic litigation, a quarterly magazine, public events to raise awareness on recommended reforms, and meetings with decision-makers to discuss possible solutions.

Universal Rights

Enhancing Media Accountability and Accuracy

$50,000

To enhance accountability and improve the accuracy and reliability of the media sector. The project will identify and expose false information and hold media outlets accountable through an online digital media platform that monitors and assesses the truthfulness and professionalism of leading online news sites. The project will review and grade online news articles and news outlets and publish monthly evaluation reports on its website and social media.

Democratic Governance

Enhancing Citizen Participation in Local Governance

$23,000

To strengthen citizen engagement with local officials in decision-making and good governance. The project will support citizen-led popular committees to monitor local government, advocate for solutions to problems faced by their communities, and promote principles of good governance. Local community members will also learn about local administration and election campaign management.

Democratic Governance

Promoting Women’s Leadership in Professional Associations

$71,500

To advance women’s leadership within professional associations. The project will prepare women professional association members to contest association elections, to lead advocacy campaigns for greater representation in association leadership positions, and to support gender-sensitive policy and budgeting within these syndicates. The project will entail a workshop for women professional association members to share experiences and develop their skills to face electoral and policy challenges within their syndicates. It will also gather syndicate members for a cross-governorate, cross-syndicate annual forum.

Universal Rights

Supporting Accountability in Informal Detention Centers

$65,000

To protect human rights and support greater accountability and oversight in detention centers. The organization will conduct an analytical study on the treatment of prisoners in informal places of detention to support domestic and international advocacy efforts. The project will publish, expand, and contribute to the mapping efforts on violations committed in detention facilities. It will also support the development of a new generation of civic actors by training a cohort of Egyptian human rights researchers and lawyers.

Democratic Governance

Building Consensus for Democratic Reforms

$60,000

To build gradual consensus among diverse actors on key issues and policies related to political reforms and human rights, and to build and strengthen advocacy networks. The organization will expand its papers on the most urgent political, economic, and legal reforms needed in Egypt to overcome the current human rights crisis, informed by debate and engagement with Egyptian civic and political activists inside and outside Egypt. The organization will also train activists on skills necessary to self-organize, design, and implement complimentary advocacy initiatives, and coordinate activities.

Democratic Governance

Training the Next Generation of Human Rights Lawyers

$20,300

To strengthen and expand the pool of lawyers defending civil and political rights. The project will produce legal research and analysis on new laws and amendments concerning civil society and freedom of association, build the capacity of young human rights lawyers on these issues, and support them to provide free legal aid to affected civil society activists.

Democratic Norms, Ideas and Values

Civil Society Support Fellowships and Dialogue

$460,000

To conduct a strategic review in consultation with regional partners; to strengthen policy centers’ influence over public policymaking; and to encourage cooperation among policy-oriented organizations. The grantee will review its activity and partners to determine areas where it provides value both nationally and regionally. It will also provide technical and financial assistance to policy centers in Egypt, Iraq, and Tunisia. Capacity building support in the form of consultations, mentorship, and trainings will strengthen the centers’ policy writing and advocacy skills.

Democratic Governance

Defending Media Freedom

$40,000

To defend media freedom and the rights of media professionals. The project will provide legal defense for journalists and bloggers facing legal prosecution because of their work. The project will monitor policies related to freedom of expression for citizens and journalists through an online platform and organize advocacy campaigns around the monitored policies.

Democratic Governance

Promoting Accountability in Land and Housing Rights

$49,900

To promote accountability in housing rights by strengthening transparency around the real estate market. The project will conduct research on entities that manipulate real estate regulations to extract favorable terms, engage in tax evasion through tax havens, and affect affordability of adequate housing. The project will publish and disseminate a report to share with civil society, international organizations, and government officials to promote the report’s recommendations.

Universal Rights

Monitoring Press and Media Freedom

$60,000

To support and defend journalists and media freedom. The project will monitor the rights of media professionals and organizations and issue regular updates on violations and related developments. Monthly and annual reports will inform advocacy and support legal efforts to defend and protect the rights of media professionals and institutions.

Democratic Governance

Promoting Accountability and Transparency in Local Development

$20,000

To strengthen transparency and raise awareness on public land development initiatives. The project will produce research on climate change and government policy impact on public land and resources. It will continue an online campaign on the consequences for local inhabitants. It will convene stakeholders to emphasize the need for participatory decision making in the development of public space and highlight government responsibility to protect the public interest including social, economic, and cultural rights.

Democratic Governance

Promoting Accountability and Transparency in Local Development

$19,609

To strengthen citizen engagement in decision-making related to environmental governance and the development of public land. The project will produce research on climate change and government policy impact on public land and resources; and continue an online campaign on the consequences for Alexandria’s inhabitants. It will convene stakeholders to emphasize the need for participatory decision making in the development of public space and highlight government responsibility to protect the public interest in the lead up to the COP27 conference.

Democratic Governance

Promoting Digital Rights and Freedoms

$32,000

To identify and advocate areas for reform in the current legal environment concerning digital freedoms. The project will create a legal database that lists the relevant laws and constitutional guarantees and produce contextual reports related to digital rights and responsibilities in the country to help civil society devise targeted advocacy plans and to help media organizations and tech companies avoid legal liability.

Democratic Norms, Ideas, and Value

Building Networks, Consensus and Action for Democratic Reforms

$70,000

To support civil society engagement in shaping a vision and path towards democratization. The project will convene and facilitate a series of online and in-person dialogue sessions for influential Egyptians representing diverse political views and stakeholder groups including civil society, political parties, professional associations, and unions. Recommendations that emerge from the dialogue sessions will be summarized and disseminated through the organization’s network of contacts. The project will also provide a small stipend to seed promising initiatives that emerge from the network.