May 13 - May 23, 2007

• Students and young professionals from across Jordan representing civil society, universities and media organizations came together for a two-week intensive training on media law and policy with professors and senior experts from the US, Europe and the Arab world.  The training dealt with timely aspects of communication policy and offered participants the chance to interact and discuss the relationship between media, democracy and civil society.  Courses were designed to offer international standards and best practices in the communication policy arena as well providing a wide range of local Jordanian expertise.  It was the first time that such a training program was offered in Jordan and participants expressed their sincere interest in continuing the dialogue with government officials, civil society actors and media professionals.  The “Jordan Media Law and Policy Institute” was delivered as part of the USAID-funded Jordan Media Strengthening Program, which is implemented by the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX). The Center for Global Communication Studies at the Annenberg School of Communication, University of Pennsylvania, one of IREX’ partners, organized the two-week training. (Jordan Times, Al Dustour, Al Rai)

KUWAIT

• The Council of Undersecretaries at the Education Ministry will take a final decision on a report presented by the National Education Development Center on the development of primary education in July 2007.  The ministry is planning to establish many new schools for excellent students besides sports schools, students of which will have more sports subjects besides normal science courses, she added. The minister of education said “a project to construct professional secondary schools with different specialties in all the six governorates is ready for implementation.” (Kuwait Times, Al Qabas)

• The festivities held here to mark the anniversary of Kuwaiti women’s participation in political life concluded last week, calling for applying the quota system in Arab nations. Arab governments, taking part in the event organized by the Cabinet’s Women’s Affairs Committee and the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU), also called for encouraging women to participate in political life and for issuing legislation to protect their rights. They also demanded cooperation among regional and international parliamentarian and governmental organizations to promote equality among men and women. In addition, they called for the participation of women in Arab and international parliamentarian conferences and forums. (Arab Times)

OMAN

• The awareness team on Majlis Ash'shura elections for the 6th term 2008-2011 visited the wilayat of Khabourah and met people in the presence of Shaikh Dr. Said bin Khamees al Ka'abi, Wali of Khabourah. The meeting was held at the wilayat club as part of the tour the team is currently conducting in various governorates and regions of the Sultanate to enlighten people on the significance of participation in the Majlis Ash'shura election process.  The team, headed by Shaikh Ali bin Nasser al Mahrouqi, stressed during the meeting, which witnessed good attendance by both men and women of the wilayat, the importance of participation in the Majlis elections as a right of every citizen of legal age.  (Oman Daily Observer, Al Watan)

• Dr Yahya bin Mahfoudh al Mantheri, Chairman of the Majlis Addawla, received here yesterday the Chairman of the American Republican Institute in the United States. Dr Mantheri praised the good bilateral relations, stressing on the importance of these meetings for exchange of viewpoints. The guest commended the progress Oman has achieved in all walks of life under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ali al Qatabi, Chairman of Majlis Ash’shura, also received the American official. They discussed matters of common concern and bilateral co-operation in training employees, as well as the institute’s programs in this respect. Al Qatabi familiarized the guest with Oman’s experience in Shura (consultation) and the vital role of the Majlis in Oman’s development march. (Oman Daily Observer)

QATAR

• The fourth joint seminar of GCC-EU countries on combating terrorism financing, was hosted by the National Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Committee.  Qatar Central Bank (QCB) Governor Sheikh Abdulla bin Saoud al-Thani, in his introductory remarks, maintained that the two-day event reflects the deep historic relations between the GCC and EU countries.  “Qatar has taken the initiative of introducing many precautions and measures to combat money-laundering and terrorism financing, all of which are designed to protect our financial institutions and sectors,” he pointed out.  (Gulf Times)

SAUDI ARABIA

• The Chairman of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce published a clarification that he received instructions to end mixed gender meetings from official government offices, such as the Minister of Labour, Minister of Commerce and Jeddah police – and not from the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. (Arab News, Al Madinah)

• “Open majlis” is a weekly radio program in which Saudi citizens can freely submit their grievances and complaints without censorship.  The program, which is being directly sponsored by King Abdullah, will discuss grievances related to rule of law and combating corruption, among others.  A number of listeners have already complained to the Minister of Information and the Royal Diwan about the frankness of the commentary on the program, as well as the number of grievances aired.  The radio host criticized the Saudi press, saying that it cannot report on 20 percent of these complaints because they cross a “red line,” and questioned why they can be aired on the radio and not in newspapers.  (Al Hayat)

• Saudi National Society for Human Rights released its first human rights report for Saudi Arabia.  The report demanded an independent judicial system and cancellation of the expatriate visa sponsorship system.  It also requested improvements in the education and health systems in Saudi Arabia, and increased respect for the rights of Saudi women and children. Lastly, the report stated that the organization has received 8570 complaints in the past year.  (Arab News, Al Madinah, Al Watan)

UAE

• Eight young Emirati women finalists spoke passionately about their goals, love for the country, views about leadership and family and advice for fellow Emirati women at ‘My Voice, My Future,’ a public speaking contest held at Zayed University (ZU) yesterday morning.  The contest concluded ‘The 21st Century Emirati Woman: My Future as a Citizen and Leader in the Emirates’ program at ZU, funded by a $28 700 Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) grant, through the US Department of State and designed by the Kimberly Powell, Director, ZU, Language Centre and Senior Fulbright Scholar, and sponsored by the Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak Centre for Leadership at ZU.  The program trained 200 ZU students in four workshops held in April at the ZU campuses at Dubai and Abu Dhabi, culminating in eight students being selected from each campus to compete at a round of finals held at both campuses, judged by a panel of three judges, on their delivery, organization, language and content.  (Khaleej Times, Al Ittihad)

• In an unprecedented move, the Ministry of Education (MoE) is set to adopt a new system to put the private education sector in order from the next academic year.  As part of the project, the Guidance Department (MoE) will assign 50 per cent of its 860 instructors to supervise and follow up with private schools issues related to curriculum, teaching methods, examinations as well as teaching and administrative staff.  The move aims at upgrading services and performance of private schools.  Mohammed Isa Al Kahmiri, director of the department, revealed that the new initiative would entail restructuring the role of instructors in education zones.  "Under the new arrangement, the department will empower instructors all over the country to partly supervise government schools, which means that they will dedicate most of their time to keeping a check on private schools' performance," he added.  According to him, currently, government school principals possess many executive and supervisory powers and the role of instructors is very limited.  (Khaleej Times, Al Ittihad, Al Khaleej)

YEMEN

• Within the frame of its program, Human Rights Information and Training Center (HRITC) launched a symposium to discuss youth’s issues and their participation in society activities.  In his welcome speech, Abdulqawi Salim from the center assured the importance of the symposium as it deals with youth on whom countries depend for their development and progress. He also stressed the importance of encouraging youth particularly with decision making.  Dr. Abdullah Al-Dhaifani pointed out that youth stage is an important as it is the time of strength and vigor. He added that Arab youth in general and Yemeni youth in particular suffer from the lack of special programs for containing their strength as well as the lack of direction toward success. He believes that there is no suitable environment for containing youth's ideas.  (Yemen Times, Al Ayyam)