At the age of sixteen, she did not imagine that volunteering in student activities and local community initiatives would open the door for her in the future to join  the She Leads program, implemented by the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) in cooperation with Terre des Homs, with the aim of activating the participation of girls and young women in the decision-making process and increasing their representation in formal and informal institutions in the Arab world.

In this article, we try to show the considerations and determinants that governed the return of Syrian refugees in the previous period, especially after there were several projects and initiatives by the former regime in Syria

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.  

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.

tatistics reveal a troubling pattern: G20 countries with the highest gender inequality regarding care responsibilities are also those most at risk from climate change. This intersection of gendered care work and climate risk exacerbates the vulnerability of caregivers – often women and girls (but, over the course of our lives, nearly everyone).

Black October is more than a symbolic gesture. It reflects the deep disparity between Western feminism and the needs of women in conflict. It was created as a response to Pink October, which raises awareness of breast cancer in women but often does not reach those in conflict-ridden or low-income settings, where healthcare and cancer treatment facilities are largely inaccessible. By centering the voices of women affected by the war in Sudan, Black October brings much-needed attention to the feminist divide and to women in conflict who lack the security, healthcare, and necessities to live in peace.

Globally, the 16 Days of Activism, observed from November 25 to December 10, focuses on violence against women as a critical human rights issue. This year’s theme, “Towards 30 Years of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action: UNiTE to End Violence Against Women,” aligns with the UN’s “UNiTE by 2030” initiative. It calls for decisive efforts to prevent gender-based violence, particularly gender-related killings, and to strengthen protections for women and girls worldwide. Together, the local and international campaigns emphasize the shared responsibility to combat gender-based violence and advocate for systemic change.

On World Children's Day, which falls on 20 November each year, children's rights and the importance of enabling them to lead a dignified life that befits their humanity are highlighted. This year's theme is "Listen to the future! Stand up for Children's Rights", which focuses on education as a central right, embodying hope for a bright future, especially for children facing challenges that prevent them from accessing quality education opportunities.

In the past year, we have witnessed an unprecedented surge of global mobilisation for Palestine due to the ongoing US backed Israeli genocide in Gaza, that has decimated the area and killed over 200,000 Palestinians (a direct and indirect figure of deaths which is expected to be considerably more with so many buried under the rubble). However, despite this growing popular support for Palestinian liberation from Israel’s 76 years of settler colonialism, we see the same orientalist, racist, and patronising narratives that have been deployed for decades to undermine Palestinian resistance. This is an attempt to delegitimise the global call for justice and full liberation of Palestine.

The Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) actively participated in the conference, alongside other international and national partners. ARDD has been a committed partner in this initiative since the initial discussions in September 2023. This latest conference marked the third in a series of dialogues dedicated to addressing the complexities of integrating humanitarian aid with social protection systems.

Israel has been justifying its attacks on UNRWA with reference to either antisemitism (content in text books used in UNRWA schools; staff social media posts) or terrorism (the involvement of local staff with Hamas, most recently in the attacks on 7 October 2023).

Every year, the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict reminds us to consider the often-neglected aspect of environmental toll that military actions take on our ecosystems, climate, and community health. Sadly, the war on Gaza stands as a striking example. The recent heavy bombardments by the Israeli military forces have left severe and lasting mark on the region’s ecosystems, contaminating water, soil, and air. Despite this, even with growing awareness and several side events organized mostly by civil society, official discussions at COP28 have largely missed the crucial issue of emissions from military actions and conflicts.

Between 2006 and 2024, more than 1,700 journalists were killed around the world, with nearly 9 out of 10 cases remaining unresolved, according to UNESCO, amid escalating conflicts and crises in the Arab world and the world at large, and exacerbating concerns about the prevention, protection and prosecution of journalists.

The ILO emphasizes that care work is critical to the functioning of economies and societies, yet it remains one of the most undervalued and underpaid sectors. In Jordan, as in many other Arab and non-Arab countries, care work is often seen as a private responsibility, with little support from formal policies or public services. This perpetuates gender inequalities and limits economic growth by keeping women out of paid employment. 

The Summit for the Future, held in September 2024, sought to reinforce multilateralism and reshape the international system to address today’s pressing global challenges, including climate change, inequality, and governance reform. Central to the summit’s outcomes was the Pact for the Future, a comprehensive framework designed to advance sustainable development, enhance peacebuilding efforts, and bolster human rights protections. A key focus was on peace and security reform, with specific attention to improving peace operations and addressing the root causes of conflict, such as poverty, inequality, and resource scarcity.