Author Archives: Mehrunisa

About Mehrunisa

Mehrunisa Qayyum is the founder of PITAPOLICY Consulting & Blog. PITAPOLICY Blog is listed on Muftah.Org. As @PITAPOLICY she tweets about politics, interests, technology and analysis in the "pita-consuming" region and contributes to the Huffington Post Blog, A Better People, and Triple Pundit. Regarding international affairs and trade issues, she worked at the United States’ Government Accountability Office for four years. Prior to that, she earned her MPP and Certificate in Contemporary Arab Studies from Georgetown University and a BA in both Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations and Public Policy from the University of Chicago. Her recent writing experiences include analytical pieces on civil society, transparency & governance, human rights, political economy of Syria, and social media forums' impact. She enjoys watching the Colbert Report in her free time.

World Water Day: 30 Days, 30 Countries, 1 Cause

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” ~the Lorax Given that World Water Day (March 22nd) noted that the @UN predicts that seven MENA/ SWANA (Southwest Asia & North Africa) … Continue reading

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Turkiye’s Role Reversal Leaves Aid Vacuum in Syria

With more than 48,000 people killed in the Turkey-Syria Earthquake, over 123,000 injured, and 26 million requiring assistance, what happens when the reliable global aid donor, Turkiye–who has traditionally been among the first to provide emergency assistance in Pakistan’s and … Continue reading

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Filed under Interests, PIDE (Policy, International Development & Economics)

Is it a Happy? #InternationalWomensDay2021

“Every working woman needs a wife,” joked Sofia Azizan to the Wilson Center conversation with Blanca Trevio, Lynn Mounzer, REbecca Tavares, Anya Prusa, Andrew Rudman, and Olivia Soledad. Yesterday was International Women’s Day, and today the Wilson Center is taking … Continue reading

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#StatsDay2020: Data-telling in MENA

There’s story-telling. There’s tattle-telling. Then there’s data-telling. How much does a country’s data collection efforts reflect its social, economic, political, institutional, civic, human and health development? Given the global pandemic of COVID-19, PITAPOLICY argues that the data transparency correlates with … Continue reading

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Twitter Sentiment Analysis of Iranian Foreign Minister Javed Zarif

Background: Beirut Explosion “Reiterated Iran’s strong and steadfast solidarity with people of Lebanon in call with FM Wehbeh. Iran is sending field hospital & medicine to assist with disaster relief. Iran stands with Lebanon. “ “Our thoughts and prayers are … Continue reading

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Filed under Analysis, Interests, PIDE (Policy, International Development & Economics)

Clash of the Oil Titans

Again, the oil price war looms to the detriment of countries stuck in the middle. Continue reading

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Filed under Analysis, PIDE (Policy, International Development & Economics), Politics

Syria’s Sexual Violence Rate on Par With Bosnia War

Aside from the Iraq War in 2004, the Syrian conflict represents the worst violence–not just in the region–but globally since the Balkan Crisis of the 1990’s. Continue reading

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Filed under Analysis, PIDE (Policy, International Development & Economics), Politics

Blockchain Tech Solutions in MENA

GetReceet’s founder, Omar Barkawi, imagines how blockchain solutions could advance “provenance” goals on a macro-level. Barkawi notes how tracking money and transactions would benefit from blockchain solutions, “tracking food purchase receipts informs health departments without household data identifiers”. Meanwhile, GetReceet’s funder, the Mideast-based Ibtikar Fund, notes how the money movement, financial services, and authentic property documentation remain a challenge, according to the Fund’s COO, Ambar Amleh, who highlighted the “physical stress of carrying and transferring all this cash” between Ramallah and Amman… Continue reading

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Filed under Analysis, Interests, Technology, Uncategorized

COVID-19 Impact in MENA

In addition to the economic and health impacts, COVID-19 exacerbates ongoing conflicts in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Continue reading

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Authentic on Foreign Policy

Bernie questioned why the US overlooked Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and interference in Yemen but did not work towards diplomacy with Iran at a time when Trump broke the P5+1 peace deal with Iran over its nuclear capabilities. Continue reading

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