2021 Study Week on macroeconomic, trade, investment and development policies.

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS STUDY WEEK – DEADLINE NOVEMBER 5TH 2021

The Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND) together with the Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship and Third World Network launches the call for applications for 2021 study week on macroeconomic, trade, investment and development policies. 

Growing inequality, lack of economic justice and the continuous trend towards privatizing, dismantling of public services and the role of the state is under spotlight globally. The need for reversing policies, building back better and leaving no one behind in line with the commitments undertaken through the adoption of the Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals are all crystal clear. On the other hand, understanding key themes of free trade, investment, development, debt, tax, social protection, the right to health and education and many others by civil society to engage in better informed advocacy at the global, regional and national levels for advancing rights based social and economic policies is more vital than before.

In this context the Arab NGO Network for Development and the Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship  and Third World Network opens the call for applications for the Study Week 2021 Edition.

Researchers and civil society representatives keen on learning structural and systemic development challenges and engaging in spaces for enriching discussions and debates on alternative development paradigms are strongly encouraged to apply. 

The Study Week will provide an occasion to meet regional and global experts and will be organized in person in Beirut, Lebanon in December 2021 (dates to be announced). 

Five-days intensive sessions will provide the opportunity to learn, exchange, network among the participants selected from Arab countries.  

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY WEEK:
• Enhancing civil society advocacy on economic policies in the region by building capacities and raising awareness on the elected priority-issues.
• Working towards establishing a working group of civil society activists from various Arab countries cooperating with the Network on studying the different layers of developmental process in order to have a wider scope of the development solutions and priorities for the Arab societies, according to the expertise coming from different contexts.

TARGET GROUP:
Countries: All Arab countries
Total number of participants: (to be specified later)

SELECTION CRITERIA:
The selection of participants will be based on the below-mentioned criteria

1. Professional standards

• A relevant academic degree in economics, law, political science, international relations and cooperation, development, women and gender studies –or other related majors

• A minimum of 2 years of experience in a CSO or in an academic research center dealing with the above mentioned topics and the commitments to pursue work on these topics in the coming years.

• Previous experiences writing about or addressing any of these issues (providing track record on that: publication, conferences, courses...)

• Willingness to join a working group on these issues (which would cooperate with ANND members on research and advocacy work related to issues covered by the study week).

2. Personal attributes

• Young (better under age 35), motivated, committed in CSOs.

• Committed to human rights and inclusivity 

• Good command of English language.

• Team-work spirit – capacity of listening and proposing – open mindedness.

HOW TO APPLY
Please send an updated CV and a short cover letter (max 500 words) in English to Bihter Moschini [email protected] accompanied with a short letter from your actual employer explaining your role at the organization.

Testimonials from 2020 Study Week participants

- I would like to thank all ANND staff for the great opportunity they provided and for the considerable efforts they devoted in organizing such a successful study week. This study week was really informative and diversified in an amazing way. It comprised a wide range of topics that are currently of the top priority on the discussion tables of Arab countries governments. After each session, I found myself eager to know more about each topic and able to link it to the knowledge I already had from my studies. The selection of the study week’s experts was perfect. They were able to present their sessions in a very simple and interesting way. I do recommend this study week especially for people who work in academia. It will give you useful insights on what topics need to be addressed in academic research and will enable you to expand your research network.

- Through a very chaotic year, I think of ANND Study Week as a great takeaway. I have been looking for a similar opportunity not knowing it exists. I'm glad despite the global health emergency, ANND offered us this well-thought through sessions.

- It was very interesting and engaging to participate in the study week. Despite the fact that the topics seemed a bit out of my reach in the beginning, their importance and relevance today showed that they concern each person around the world, especially young people eager to learn more about their countries. It was fascinating to get a glimpse of what happens behind the curtains in relation to policy-making and macro-economics. The information acquired from the study week is crucial and fundamental in order to have a realistic perspective about possible solutions and development processes in developing countries. Moreover, the study week made possible an exchange of knowledge between different people around the world, which makes the sessions all the more valuable.