Author Archives: Mehrunisa
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
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
Clash of the Oil Titans
Again, the oil price war looms to the detriment of countries stuck in the middle. Continue reading
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
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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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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