Danmission MENA Strategy 2015 2017 by Danmission

designmanual

MENA strategy

2015-2017 Approved October 29, 2014 1

MENA strategy 2015-2017 Approved October 29, 2014

List of content Abbreviations

Summary

Background information and process

Danmission’s history in the MENA Lessons learned Context Partnership Program implementation

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Vision and mission

Vision Mission

Context analysis Post “Arab spring” The role of religion Christians in the Middle East Vulnerable groups Sum up

Means of intervention Current work a. Church cooperation, theological training and leadership training b. Poverty reduction c. Dialogue between citizens, cultures and religions d. Humanitarian aid Framing of future interventions

Method / approach Methodological aspects Principles Partnership Dialogue A rights-based approach Progress markers Behavior and relations (persons and culture) Rights (personal freedom) Political and civil situation (system and values) Structure (governance in organizations and society) New knowledge

Benchmarks and recommendations Network and partnerships Visibility and outreach Dialogue and reconciliation Learning Program development

Resources and Management Strategic management and overall coordination Regional budget Revision of strategy

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Abbreviations CEOSS

Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services

FDCD

Forum for Development, Culture and Dialogue

FID

Forum for Intercultural Dialogue (program with CEOSS in Eygpt)

MENA

Middle East and North Africa

NEST

Near East Study of Theology

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0. Summary Danmission’s MENA strategy is an internal document for Danmission’s board to define the overall frame and long-term perspective of Danmission’s work for the coming years. Danmission’s work needs a strong vision and mission on the overall level giving the mandate to conduct a flexible approach to actual implementation of projects and support to partners. Danmission’s work in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is conducted in extremely complex and violent settings putting Danmission’s partners and target groups at risks. Religious minorities are under a high pressure all over the MENA region, and Christians are experiencing an increased pressure on their possibilities to stay in their countries, especially in light of the Arab Spring – or the Arab autumn. Working through partnership, communion and solidarity, Danmission’s work in MENA builds on the vision to contribute to active Christian presence, diverse and rights-based citizenship, social cohesion and integration, and a broader understanding of dynamics in MENA and Denmark. Hereby, the role of religious institutions and religious people’s ability to play a positive role in society and build bridges will be strengthened. The work will build on a mission that responds to social, socio-economic, political, humanitarian, religious/spiritual and intellectual needs by building and further developing mental, behavioral and practical capacities to advance the role of civil society and religious institutions including various actors and religiously engaged people in promoting peace and prosperity for their societies. Dialogue is a key word for our work including intra-religious dialogue and dialogue between different religious, cultural and social groups in society. That is why it is central for Danmission’s work in the Middle East to support, nurse and create mutual learning from cooperation and relationship-building with partners. Danmission’s current work in MENA builds on four cornerstones: church and theological training, poverty reduction, dialogue and interreligious understanding, and humanitarian aid. Methodologically speaking, the program builds on a theory of change that includes a three-sponged strategy to always include multipliers, capacity building and to create and enhance “space” or maneuver room in the same lines of acting. Finally the strategy summarizes the benchmarks and recommendation in a time span of 2015-2017 around the following headlines: Network & partnerships, Visibility & outreach, Dialogue -& reconciliation, Learning and Program development.

1. Background information and process In this chapter, the Danmission history in the MENA region is described.

Danmission’s history in the MENA Danish missionary societies have worked in the MENA region since the end of the 19th century. During the decades the work has taken place in different countries according to what was possible, requested and relevant. In Lebanon, Danmission’s primary partners are NEST (Near East School of Theology), FDCD (Forum for Dialogue, Culture and Development) and Adyan Foundation: In Egypt, Danmission has been involved on and off throughout the past many decades. Since 1990, much of the work in Egypt has been carried out in close cooperation and partnership with CEOSS (Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services). EPISCOCARE – the development organization of the Anglican Church has been a long-standing partner to Danmission. Up to 1962, Danmission was engaged in Syria in the area around Nebek. Today Danmission cooperates with Mobaderoon which is a network of Syrian young people. A smaller project – a center for Syrian kids - has been supported by Danmission since spring 2014 with Bishop Elias Toume from the Syrian Orthodox Church.

Lessons learned Through our most recent work with partners in MENA, Danmission has drawn on the following lessons learned from partnerships, implementation of initiatives and working in a complex environment: Context zz Religion and religious agendas can be used for political issues and power play in the Middle East – and elsewhere. To focus on the role of religion and religious actors seems more and more relevant zz The existence of religious minorities, including Christians, in MENA is under threat zz There is a need for to formalize and capacity build leadership skills among religious leaders and lay people around the religious institutions zz We hear from our partners is that the Christians cannot create their future in the Middle East alone. They need to build their future presence on good relations to their Muslim neighbors and from being part of society. What is needed is moral, financial and human support to encourage a strong, societyengaged and relevant Arab Christian presence that includes cooperation between Christians and Muslims and Muslim acknowledge of the added value of their Christian neighbors

Partnership zz Danmission’s advisory board with representation from MENA gave in 2012 a recommendation to have more church partners and more transparency on around Danmissions work in MENA zz Projects and partnerships create added value if they can also be shared in a Danish context either via active participation, debates or media stories zz Danmission’s partnerships with MENA organizations and institutions have to be based on a solid foundation of will, interest in and relevance of cooperation, and the partners need credibility locally zz Local partners need to be supported but also challenged in the time of political and social transition in order to avoid political de-legitimization and traps of power play

Program implementation zz As the complexity of implementation of projects has increased, Danmission has partly moved to an objective-oriented perspective of implementing initiatives that gives more room for flexibility and ensures a larger degree of coherence between smaller projects zz As most of Danmission’s work in MENA is based on dialogue in various fields, the definition and use of dialogue could be further elaborated zz There is a fatigue around high-profile conferences and meetings gathering only small circles of people, and who do not have the commitment to create real changes, when they are back in their local settings. There is a need to go beyond the “usual suspects” and build on a new generation, when working with religious leaders zz New dynamics in MENA – both positive and negative developments – can only seldom be categorized as national phenomenon. There is a need to look at needs less from a country perspective, but rather from a regional perspective. E.g. the extremist threats are not isolated to one country and the threat coming from this has to be met as such. Likewise the Christian churches do not necessarily align themselves with national thinking, but are part of networks across country borders

2. Vision and mission Danmission work in MENA corresponds to Danmissions “Missionssynsdocument” from 2014 as the basis for all our work globally. With this strategy specifically Danmission wishes to build our work until 2017 on the following vision and mission that compromise the very essence of our mandate and duties, partner requests, contextual needs and methodological strengths.

Vision Through partnership, communion and solidarity, Danmission contributes to:

zz active Christian presence zz diverse and rights-based citizenship that includes political influence, participation and economic changes zz social cohesion and integration through enhanced peace-building within and between the civil sphere, private and faith-based organizations and societies zz combating religious and political extremism zz responding to human catastrophes zz & an increased understanding of the role of religion in MENA and Denmark Thereby the ability of religious institutions and religious people to play a positive role in society and to build bridges is strengthened.

Mission Danmission – in cooperation with partners - responds to social, socio-economic, political, humanitarian, religious/spiritual and intellectual needs. Danmission and partners build and further develop mental, behavioral and practical capacities to advance the role of civil society and religious institutions including various actors and religiously engaged people in promoting peace and prosperity for their societies. Dialogue, meaning a dialogue that includes different religious, cultural and social groups in society, is the key word for our work. It is central for Danmission’s work in the Middle East to support, nurse and create mutual learning from cooperation and relationship-building with partners through: zz networks and capacity building in/of intercultural and interfaith dialogue skills zz management of religious diversity and religious education zz contextual theology and leadership training zz poverty reduction

Post “Arab spring” The impact of the Arab Spring on the Middle East has been profound, even if its final outcome may not have become clear yet in many places. Protests that spread across the region in early 2011 started a long-term process of political and social transformation creating a unique opportunity to re-engage people into social engagement after years of suppression under authoritarian rules. Before the Arab Spring, the Middle East was known for its notorious “sultanistic” dictators ruling their countries with an iron fist. Political participation was an exception, which came to be a contributing factor in creating alienation towards political life and civil society activism. The lack of participation was changed with the self-immolation of Tunisian Mohammad Bouazizi in Sidi Bouzid, and since 2011 the region has witnessed an explosion of political and social activity. Eventually, this led to raising demands of good governance, human rights and freedoms. Unfortunately, the political and social transformation has in the initial stages primarily been marked by political turbulence, economic difficulties and even armed conflicts and religious tensions. The optimism from Tahrir Square in 2011, which sent positive vibrations to all parts of the region, has been replaced by deep pessimism and depression, and the current situation in the MENA region is much worse than predicted just few years ago. Millions of refugees, sectarian conflicts, use of religion, extremism, economic fatigue and bloody wars are some of the very negative implications of the Arab Spring. The problems of the region did not disappear with the uprisings, and there is still a long way to go for the people of the Middle East to reach influence, peace and dignified living.

The role of religion The role of religion in politics is a divisive issue across the region. Religion is powerful and used by both religious leaders, politicians and militants and thereby a sensitive and crucial factor for political transformation in the region. In the authoritarian regimes, religious institutions, including churches and mosques have been embedded into the organization and consolidation of the power holders, and thus tolerated as long as they have not nursed political discourses against the regimes. Since the fall of the authoritarian dictatorships, large groups of the populations have come to see religious parties – in particular Islamist parties – as the best option for change. Political Islam as a movement has been tried out leaving both optimism and fiasco with the latter possibly contributing to the emergence of an increasing suspicion towards religious leaders and parties, and to conflicts between liberal or secular actors and actors supporting faith-based political organizations.

zz humanitarian responses

3. Context analysis Danmission’s work in MENA is building on thematic contextual analyses in relation to the role of religion, religious actors and societies. Country based assessments are to be found in annex 2. In the following chapter, the thematic context of the strategy is being lined out in an analysis of the political and social situation in the post “Arab Spring” era including analyses of the role of religion, the situation of Christians and pointing on vulnerable groups.

Religious leaders have the potential to promote peace and co-existence in society – but they also have the opportunity to instigate hatred, and sectarianism is currently one of the biggest threats to the region. Despite the turbulent time for religious leaders, they do in many cases still have credibility locally, their impact is great and therefore they have to be held accountable for their role in society. That is why religion and religious people should be motivated not to be hindrances for positive society changes, but rather be an opportunity to support ongoing processes of inclusion and management of religious diversity. Religious people and religious institutions are embedded into the dynamics of their societies and can play an important role in this process. In order to secure a more positive role for religion in civil society, there is a great need to support religious stakeholders in constantly re-thinking and re-engaging into defining the role of religion and religious institutions in these turbulent contexts which includes both reaching out to the religious other and to have intra-religious dialogue.

The case of IS – an extremist movement stemming from the wars in Iraq and Syria – is yet another case. With IS, we witness a group of foreigners and local people who have kidnapped a religion and use its rhetoric and dogmas for promoting their own ideas and power system. This further proves the need for intra-religious dialogue, in this case an internal Sunni Muslim dialogue.

Christians in the Middle East The Christian churches of the Middle East have always played an important role in society at large. Education, social welfare and even political representation have in many cases been covered by the churches. In the decades before the Arab Spring, churches had come to be closely associated with authoritarian regimes. This connection along with new extremist Islamist trends in the post-Arab Spring Middle East means that the Christian churches and its members are more vulnerable than ever. The past decade has been catastrophic for the Arab world’s Christian minorities. Despite sizeable Christian populations holding on in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt, Arab Christians are leaving almost everywhere, latest as it happens in Iraq. The decreasing Christian presence can be a dangerous step away from the historical inclusive, multicultural and secularist Arab societies in which Christian Arabs and other minorities have played a vital role in defining a secular Arab cultural and political identity. Christians are not persecuted all over MENA, but have a good reputation, and the majority of Arab Muslims would say that Christian presence in MENA is historical and positive add-on to the temporary MENA region. Christians and Muslims live side by side in many places, but there are countless religious and cultural stereotypes of “the other” which are not conducive to a coherent and peaceful Middle East. There is a lack of human trust across religious and political divisions, and due to the current volatile situation in the MENA region the need for dialogue across sectarian, political and religious standings is big. However, the latest extremist developments in Syria and Iraq are further increasing the pressure and threats towards the Christian communities. The reduction of Christians in MENA affects the theological education and its environment. The theological educations have to be developed regularly and Christian leaders have to be surrounded by a vivid environment: The churches need strong and credible profiles to be able to manage themselves in the political game; they need good leaders to run the church institutions; the churches and the people associated have to be able to pass along a good education and counseling for their congregations; the churches have to be able to keep its relevance for the people, which inquires theological thinking too; and there is a need to further build on networks between different Christian religious educational institutions. Furthermore, throughout the last year it has been a problem in the Middle East that the churches are not capable of gathering in an ecumenical cooperation. There are great internal disputes and power struggles hindering a strong common Christian voice to come out against the extremist pressure. The main challenge is – seen from one side of the coin - a lack of mutual recognition of the need for cooperation in intra-Christian settings, and - seen from the other side - an implicit expectation that Christians across the different traditions have a natural bond that should be stronger than a religious bond to a Muslim neighbor, which is not necessarily the case.

To ensure that the Christians will have a future in MENA, an important step is to ensure the ability of the churches to keep its contextual relevance and not only historical ties and to be in dialogue and cooperation with their fellow Christians on the one hand and co-citizens, mainly Muslims, on the other hand.

Vulnerable groups Traditional protagonists are no longer the only main actors in the regional political arena. Rather, a paradigm shift seems to have been unfolded as young Arabs – the majority of the population—increasingly have taken on an empowered and influential role in all the various aspects of public life, but the chances to realize their individual dreams are limited. The positon of youth is an important issue in the MENA region. Most Arab countries are highly influenced by the large bulk of young people which some analysts over years have described as the “youth burden”. The youth has in a pre-Arab spring context been excluded from full participation in society, and as a consequence young people have entered waithood leading to hopelessness. They are waiting for an opportunity to study, work, earn money, and achieve participation and influence. The young people want a normal life and to feel the positive changes they have fought for. Anger over youth unemployment and poor living conditions were some of the key factors that led to the Arab Spring, but in spite youth taking a leading part in the revolutions, they are still the excluded group of society. The current acts of war in some of the countries further add to that position. Their dignity is at stake and they should be fully recognized as valid players in society in order to ensure that youth will be a positive asset for the future MENA and not a threat involving themselves in radical movements or distancing themselves from society, as it is now seen in various areas of the region. In the summer of 2014, we were all exposed to pictures from the regional war zones with children as victims of the wars. Children are suffering not only during war, hunger and physical threats. They also suffer from traumas, from being exposed to parents who are suppressed, from living as displaced, uprooted from school, family and friends and with no grown-ups to guarantee their nearby future. In order to work against extremism and work for coherent societies, the children of the post Arab Spring-era need special attention. Another vulnerable and excluded group in most Middle Eastern societies is the women. Gender equality - equal participation of women and men - is a focal point when talking about the situation and development in the MENA region. While some religions do have structural and dogmatic hindrances for women to gain the same or similar positions as men that creates internal discussions in the religious communities. But besides that there is a need to ensure that inequalities which are related to social structures and habits are not being reproduced, and that women and men’s equal participation and opportunities are addressed on both a structural and a practical level. In some MENA settings, women are not allowed to participate in activities and do not feel comfortable to bring forward their ideas due to social and cultural norms. To address the issue and change the situation in relation to gender equality, female civil society leaders, journalists, academics and female leaders from churches and mosques have to be addressed.

Sum up As the above analysis show, MENA is a region with strong and very sincere challenges for Christians and for Arabs, for societies and for the structural setup in societies. At the same time it is a region with opportunities and with glimpses of

hope, and organizations and institutions in MENA request partnerships, moral support and mutual learning with Danish actors. In that context Danmission plays an important role.

distribution of humanitarian aid is done in cooperation with local partners and is funded by both own funds and support from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Framing of future interventions

4. Means of intervention

In the context of the Arab Spring and the radical changes in the Arab world since 2011, future initiatives should be developed according to the following thematic framing building on the context analysis from chapter three:

Current work

Christians and religious minorities are under an extreme pressure. Danmission has to show solidarity and support to a continuous presence of Christianity and religious diversity in the MENA region, and support to the religious communities to develop their relevance. Extremism has to be combated, and one way is to respond to human needs and ensure alternatives to joining extremist networks.

Currently Danmission works under the following headlines in the MENA region, but other means of interventions could be developed according to the needs and possibilities; A. Church cooperation, theological training and leadership training Danmission supports local churches, church synods and networks of Christian institutions to work for and nurse their communities. It requires both good management skills due to the complex situation of Christians, minorities and societies in general and it requires relevance. That is why Danmission among other things supports leadership training that involves spiritual elements (e.g. contextual theology assisting the local churches in finding words and pictures from their own culture to describe their experiences with God and people), inter and intra religious aspects, ecumenical work and diakonia. Taking up these tasks requires well-educated religious leaders and good management. B. Poverty reduction The focus on poverty reduction and local development is following a rights-based approach. By working with local civil society, the support intervention seeks to increase the living standards and local livelihood for poor and marginalized people. This can be done through different strategies such as support to self-help groups, strengthening local communities’ access to duty bearers, or development of advocacy strategies at different levels. The focus can be on different livelihood issues such as agricultural issues, the situation and rights of different groups at risk, health, civic education or access to natural resources. Direct poverty reduction will solely be carried out in Egypt and as part of the frame work program 2014-17 financed both by Danida and own funds. C. Dialogue between citizens, cultures and religions To build sound societies, dialogue is needed. This approach is in line with the spirit of Danish theologian Hal Koch who talks about democracy as a continuous dialogue. Danmission contributes to building the capacity of civil society and religious institutions and adhering to the values of mutual respect, support and tolerance, through dialogue and peace-building activities. Danmission works with dialogue within and between political and religious groups, and Danmission strives to educate future leaders and opinion makers in the MENA region in managing religious diversity. That is why the dialogue and capacity building initiatives do not only include religious leaders, but also media, politicians, artists and researchers, and activities include young women and men. To ensure healthy reform processes, it is a pre-condition that there is will and competences to work for peaceful and inclusive societies. D. Humanitarian aid Danmission is helping Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and other victims of the conflicts in Syria and Iraq. The wars and atrocities have forced millions of Syrians and Iraqis to leave their homes. There is a big need for help and assistance. The

The stability of the social cohesion and the ability to practice religious freedom require the development of an intercultural citizenship. This is a term developed in Danmission’s program with Adyan foundation, and it is a citizenship that guarantees and encourages participation of all the population – Christians and Muslims in the public life and political process and at the same time give space for religious identities and belongings. Religious understanding is an important tool for this, as it is important in order to secure societies with room for everybody – including minorities. Faith-based organizations, religious institutions and religious leaders can positively influence the developments in the region and support reform initiatives working for rights-based societies. Religion and religious actors should not be a hindrance for democracy and reforms – they should be part of the solution, but they need support and inputs. Reconciliation is the road for the future in post-conflict societies. Growing tensions between communities will need attention. The future of Syria will depend on the capacity of society to overcome its wounds, and the stability of Lebanon depends among other things on the ability to accommodate Syrian and Palestinian refugees in the society, and the future Egypt depends on the will to include and make accountable also critical voices – including unpopular religious voices – in society. Democratization processes, good governance and local development go hand in hand with peacebuilding and intercultural dialogue. Capacity building of civil society organizations and religious institutions play an important role in the process of ensuring participation, dialogue and development of attitudes for democratic citizenship, including dialogue and advocacy with governmental institutions. Dialogue and to use relations and networks is a means for access to knowledge, reconciliation and influence, and in order to manage religious diversity in societies. The needs are diverse and depend on the context and the country, but the focus on dialogue and the need to “know the other” is common. Danmission wishes to create the foundation for long-term cooperation and understanding for culture and religion between different groups in Arab societies – and between Denmark and the MENA region. The involved countries represent unique situations and the need for creating regional dialogue across borders in order to get first-hand information and share experiences and know-how is huge. Even though the Arab countries are in different political stages with very dissimilar challenges, there is a wish to learn from each other, e.g. regarding experiences with minority rights, the role of religion in politics, religious preaching during crisis, and the concept of citizenship.

The vulnerable groups have to be taken into consideration. In a region where almost 65% of the population is under the age of 30, long-term development and stability depends on the opportunities afforded to this generation. The youth of the Middle East are fighting for education, jobs, and influence in society, but in order for this generation to become catalyst for more inclusive and democratic societies, more support to youth is needed. Though in some cases the women have played a very pro-active role during the revolutions, they are still in a weak structural and social position generally speaking.

5. Method / approach With any initiative under Danmission’s work in the MENA region, there is a wish to make a change and to contribute to positive changes for the people and society. To realize this wish, we build our work around a theory of change in which we do not only focus on the initiatives that we implement, but aim at locating the right “boundary partners” meaning the persons or institutions that have the relevant scope of and potential influence to actually make an impact. In Danmission our boundary partners, meaning persons or institutions that can we may influence to make an impact in accordance with our vision and mission, are to be found in the span of civil society activists with outreach to geographical areas and contexts, to religious leaders, policy- and decision-makers that are important for forming the way forward for Christians and ensuring religious diversity in the future MENA. We work with all age groups, but focus is mainly on young leaders. In Danmission, we have a special focus on the religious leaders that have the possibility to influence their communities and to influence the thinking and behavior in the religious institutions. A survey by the Beirut based St. Joseph University shows that the second most influential factor on the youth (after the parents) is the religious teacher. That influence is not only about private and spiritual matters, but also in regards to social and political behavior. That is why it is crucial to work with the religious leaders and religious educators. Our theory of change is thus built on constant context analysis of the identified society issues and what could be called a complexity aware monitoring which helps us to reach the goals in the given situation. The methodological considerations and progress markers as presented below are together with the country analysis part of the analytical basis for our theory of change. In the following paragraphs the methodological considerations are highlighted, principles for the MENA program elaborated, and a new approach with progress markers introduced:

Methodological aspects With Danmission’s work in MENA we are first and foremost aiming to create relations between different women and men in different age groups that can be 1) multipliers in their societies, organizations and institutions, locally and nationally. At the same time Danmission and our partners are addressing the need for 2) capacity building of women and men and their related organizations and institutions. Finally, Danmission and our partners acknowledge the need to 3) create and enhance “space” or maneuver room for women and men working outside of the seminars and trainings, and that has a string of advocacy attached.

This means that Danmission and our partners have found a need for not only capacity building of participants that may act as multipliers, but also to work strategically on influencing the surrounding decision makers and multipliers via boundary partners – that might be boards of the host organizations, media, local municipalities and politicians locally and nationally. Both in Denmark and in the Arab countries, Danmission has supported and actively facilitated activities that aim to foster and promote economic prosperity, reconciliation, integration and participation in society. The expertise and professional work of Danmission’s local partners assure the implementation capacity and good results. The methodology is to work through knowledge sharing, skills upgrading and attitude change, which Danmission’s local partners are very qualified and experienced in. The partners’ large networks in primarily Lebanon, Syria and Egypt but also elsewhere in the MENA region and Europe, as well as strong educational expertise, has the potential to contribute further to the impact. The element of Danish participation and Arab-Danish exchange will enhance the results through mutual inspiration and cross cultural understanding, which will be an added value for efforts to integrate ethnic and religious minorities in Denmark and efforts to create coherence between religious identity and citizenship in the Arab societies.

Principles The following three principles will follow the implementation of Danmission’s MENA strategy, namely partnership, dialogue and a rights-based approach. Partnership The first principle for our work in MENA is to work via partnerships. Danmission has a long history for building and nursing long-term partnerships globally. To build a solid and trustful partnership across countries working with delicate issues takes time and relationship-building, and that has to be prioritized. Danmission’s partners in the MENA region are under pressure from local and regional developments, and it requires presence and face-to-face meetings to stay in tune with the needs of the partners. At times the partners are challenged not only in terms of conducting their work, but also in defining their role in society and to meet the needs and demands from their constituencies. That is why a partnership is not only support, but also to be able to challenge the partners to ensure that the credibility and principles are followed also in difficult times. To be in partnerships with relevant actors from MENA is not only for Danmission to give but it is also to receive; new inputs and insights, human relations, information, network and spiritual inspiration. The management of our MENA partners are generally very well-educated and with an impact in their local communities, and they are well-updated with both local and international developments. That is why our work in MENA gives the opportunity to share new inputs to Danmission and to the Danish society, as we have sources for information and guidance. The partnership consideration for our work in MENA follows Danmission’s Partnership Policy: Walking together, as approved by Danmission’s board by 2013. When working in the MENA area, Danmission has to be aware of a fragile organizational set up of some organizations, and that is why Danmission has to prioritize future partnership organizations that:

zz Are well-anchored in society, have local credibility and can balance interests politically zz Have a solid structural set-up or potential to develop organizationally zz Have a profound profile that relates to the vision and mission of Danmission specifically

Dialogue Dialogue is central to our work in MENA, more specifically dialogue involving a multi faith perspective (that may both be interreligious and intra-religious) and acknowledging religion as an important factor. For Danmission and our partners, dialogue is a fundamental approach to people and to our cooperation, a relational process which is a way of life and one which forms the basis of sound relationships between individuals as well as between social or religious groups. A peaceful and tolerant society is a precondition for economic, cultural and political development. Peacebuilding may contain various levels and be practiced in various ways, depending on the nature of conflict, but dialogue has been a constant effective tool for reconciliation. Dialogue is to our understanding both process oriented and goal oriented, meaning that it is both to be seen as a method and as a result, but the approach will differ depending on the expected result. Dialogue is considered successful when e.g. it results in established relations in and between communities and individuals of different religions and cultures strong enough to deal effectively with conflicts and developmental and community challenges; when the relations mean access to new knowledge and insights across local, national and international borders; when the relations can give new inputs and know-how on how to create changes locally. Dialogue can happen on many levels and has basically to be practiced, but it may also mean to reach out to actors with an actual influence in society and that includes a dialogue with religious leaders and religious institutions. This means: zz Dialogue should be used as both process and goal oriented but the different approaches have to be lined out zz Dialogue as a means to build relation between people should still have the flexibility to be a testing pot zz When including religious leaders to the dialogue, Danmission has to insist that also religious leaders engage in the dialogue to make a change “at home” – not only for others but also for themselves zz Danmission should elaborate on a definition of a common understanding of dialogue

strengthening of religious institutions and civil society. Danmission gives priority to a rights-based approach, addressing the structural, social and political dimensions in which the mobilization of all citizens (across religious and cultural belongings), empowerment and advocacy are viewed as the main drivers for change. Currently, we assume that the right to be a minority, especially in Syria, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq, is the most dominant issue in the scope of our work. There is a need, however, for Danmission and our partners together to identify the dominant right issues that are most relevant for our partners on the basis of our geographic and socio-political focus as well as organizational set-up. zz Danmission needs to build an advocacy strategy with partners respectively in order to ensure that the level of accessing management, religious and public services are actually embedded into program implementation zz Danmission should consider the rights-based approach as a frame to gather inputs from the target group in order to ensure that relevant voices are being presented to stakeholders

Progress markers Our work in MENA works around four variables that identify areas where we strive for our work to make a difference. These progress markers will be defined as part of the process around the development of our theory of change for the work in the MENA region, and they will at the same time form the basis of the development of a new complexity aware M&E system. The progress markers will be further developed with indicators by 2015 based on the following headlines and main areas of progress identified: Behavior and relations (persons and culture) Dialogue, peace, networking, and leadership culture are core areas for defining this progress area. Rights (personal freedom) Levels of rights, especially rights in relation to religion and gender. Focus can be on both policy and local level. Political and civil situation (system and values) Political, social and cultural space. Capacity building issues and use of advocacy strategies. Structure (governance in organizations and society) Civic understanding and education; rights holders and duty bearers; decentralization and good governance. New knowledge To meet new needs in a constantly changing context.

A rights-based approach Danmission believes that a rights-based approach focusing on empowering and organizing citizens and constituencies to be able to access management, religious and public services and advocating for the appropriate adoption of policies and regulations is essential. Danmission’s work entails an overall

6. Benchmarks and recommendations During the coming three years, Danmission aims at reaching the following benchmarks in relation to the work in the MENA region:

Network and partnerships

Dialogue and reconciliation Primary zz Develop a comprehensive dialogue strategy for Danmission zz Develop concrete tools for facilitation of dialogue in relation to interfaith relation building, reconciliation, conflict management and social cohesion Secondary

Primary zz Strengthen the relations with churches and synods in the Middle East and North Africa

zz Facilitate an ongoing process on defining and measuring dialogue with other Danish and MENA actors involved with a focus on monitoring and evaluation

zz Increase focus on Syria and build more relations with partners on the ground

zz Engage Danish and MENA religious actors in a dialogue on “intercultural” citizenship

zz Support network among people and institutions working with theology and training

zz Initiatives on reconciliation and citizenship around refugees in Denmark and MENA

zz Broaden Danmission’s Danish network and outreach in relation to our work in MENA

Learning

zz Ensure cooperation with Muslim partners and stakeholders to increase local credibility

Primary

Secondary

zz Upgrade human capacities internally and externally

zz Develop closer cooperation with faith-based institutions and organizations in MENA

zz Support educational initiatives in relation to leadership for religious institutions

zz Support regional networks as a means of access to knowledge, insights and outreach including the Middle East Council of Churches

zz Involve Danmission’s DAPP Advisory Board in planning and conduction of activities in MENA zz More knowledge on how to support equal possibilities for both genders – also in the management of religious communities

Visibility and outreach

Secondary

Primary

zz Support contextual theology and development of Christian educational material

zz Develop a communication strategy for Danmission’s work in Denmark and MENA

zz Develop M&E system across departments

zz Make Danmission recognized as central player in the field of interreligious and intercultural dialogue in Denmark and MENA

zz Broaden network in MENA and get new insights zz Ensure that learning is seen as an continuous process

zz Contribute to public debate on MENA issues in Denmark, especially on the situation for Christians and religious minorities

Program development

Secondary Primary zz Increase visibility of Danmission in Danish and Arab media zz Facilitate open sessions, conferences and contributions on dialogue and the role of religion in societies in Denmark and MENA zz Presentations for Danmission constituency on MENA dynamics

zz More focus on the role of religious leaders in societies, and as part of that what is being preached by the religious leaders zz Continue the programmatic approach and only engage in small-scale projects if there is a long-term perspective

Secondary zz Develop a comprehensive Theory of Change for Danmissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work in MENA in relation to the strategy zz Increase cross-organizational cooperation within Danmission, e.g. like the MENA team

Resources and Management Strategic management and overall coordination zz Regional representative (based in Lebanon) (full time MENA) zz DAPP Program coordinator (full time MENA) zz DANIDA program coordinator (part time Egypt) zz Dialogue consultant for Church and Dialogue Engagement (part time MENA) zz Head of Poverty Reduction Team (part time) zz Administration (part time) zz Student assistants (part time) zz Communication and fundraising department (part time)

Regional budget The budget consists of incomes from four different sources: Danmissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own contribution, the Danish Arab Partnership Program (DAPP), DANIDA and the Humanitarian Office at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2013, Egypt received 8.020.000 DKK from Danmission, Syria 3.020.000 DKK., Lebanon 1.230.000 DKK and DAPP contributed regionally with 3.660.000 DKK. Funding from both DANIDA and DAPP is secured for the years to come with a small raise in funds from DAPP. External support for humanitarian aid is uncertain.

Revision of strategy This strategy will be re-visited at yearly meetings in the MENA team with inputs from the program leaders of Church & Dialogue and Poverty Reduction. Next time by autumn 2015.

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