KUWAIT MEPIC 6 - FY06Q4: New Exchange Participants,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KUWAIT 004235 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR NEA/PI, NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD ABU DHABI FOR MEPI (HWECHSEL, MHOPKINS) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KMPI KPAO KU MEPI SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEPIC 6 - FY06Q4: New Exchange Participants, Post-election Follow-up, and Civic Education Advances Ref: A) State 147848 - MEPI Small Grants B) Kuwait 2824 C) Kuwait 1986 D) Kuwait 1224 E) Kuwait 605 F) Kuwait 540 G) Kuwait 436 H) 05 Kuwait 4144 I) 05 Kuwait 2732 Sensitive but unclassified. Not for internet distribution. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: This MEPI quarterly report covers key MEPI developments in Kuwait during FY06Q4 and responds to questions posed in State 147848 (see paragraph 5). In addition to addressing the progress made by Kuwaiti NGOs toward fulfillment of FY05 and FY06 Small Grants projects, the report includes information regarding post's nominees and participants in MEPI and MENA exchanges programs, as well as the results of visits to post by MEPI representatives and partners and the status of in-country programs. End Summary. Continued Progress with Small Grants -------------- ¶2. (U) The Embassy's MEPI activities in the fourth quarter began with monitoring of ongoing Small Grants Program projects and initiating new activities: Status of FY05 Small Grants Projects -------------- ¶3. (U) During the third quarter of FY06, members of the Embassy's MEPI team worked closely with grantees to encourage forward movement on ongoing and pending projects: a) CineMagic's civic-minded film project continued filmmaking activities through the fourth quarter of FY06. The key element of the project was the film production process, which highlighted teamwork, gender parity, and democratic dialogue. This had a positive impact on the 10 project participants who had never had the chance to participate in activities requiring teamwork and the mixing of young men and women. Six students completed their civic-minded film projects during the fourth quarter. Four more are expected to complete their short public service announcement films during the current school semester. b) The Lothan Youth Achievement Center (LoYAC) project on summer entrepreneurship training for youth began implementation in late June and early July, 2006. LoYAC included the MEPI logo in its advertisements published in Kuwait's Arabic and English newspapers and in the organization's summer program brochure. The project terminated successfully in August 2006. FY06 Small Grants Program -------------- ¶4. (U) The following is the status of unresolved FY06 Small Grants Program proposals for the last quarter: a) LoYAC - The Regional Office presented recommended amendments to the applicant. Requiring additional time to consider the amendments, LoYAC withdrew from the FY06 application process and will reconsider applying in FY07. b) Society for Study and Leadership - Amendments were suggested to the applicant and were accepted. The project on women's leadership training was approved. c) Dr. Suad Al-Tararwah's proposal on family legal issues, which duplicated the objectives of another MEPI project already underway in Kuwait, was not approved. The MEPI team recommended that Dr. Al-Tararwah submit an FY07 Small Grants application focusing on legal reform. Small Grants Program Suggestions -------------- ¶5. (U) In response to ref. A, Post's MEPI team offers the following points: a) The ability for applicants to apply in Arabic and receive translation and review support from the Regional Office in Abu Dhabi has improved the application process; b) Some applications were deemed inappropriate because they were KUWAIT 00004235 002 OF 004 submitted for ongoing programs. Opening the Small Grants Program to funding for existing or ongoing programs that meet MEPI goals would expand the base of organizations eligible to apply to the MEPI Small Grants Program; c) The most successfully implemented programs appeared to be those conducted by individuals or organizations with prior experience in performing NGO-type activities. This limits potential applicants who lack similar experience. Offering clarification of MEPI objectives, training on MEPI procedures, the grant application process and successful programming, as well as "start up" support for potential applicants would be beneficial. New Exchange Program Participants -------------- ¶6. (U) Post's MEPI team solicited names in July for a nominee from Kuwait to take part in the second annual MENA Businesswomen's Summit scheduled for October 30-November 1, in Abu Dhabi, being organized by University of California's Beyster Institute. ¶7. (U) The following nominees traveled to the U.S. to participate in the MEPI Study of the U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders, held July-August 2006: a) University Students: -Mr. Khalifa Al-Azmi, Kuwait University, University of Delaware (Newark, Delaware) -Mr. Abbas Kamal, Kuwait University, Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.) -Mr. Mohammed Abdulsalam, Kuwait University, Montana State University (Bozeman, Montana) b) Recent High School Graduate: -Ms. Dalal, Al-Wzzan, Bibi Al-Salem High School, Benedictine University (Lisle, Illinois) ¶8. (U) On September 4, Post's MEPI team issued announcements to contacts and the Kuwaiti media about the third round of recruitment for the Middle East Entrepreneur Training in the U.S. (MEET U.S.) Program for entrepreneurs and executives from the Middle East and North Africa. The Beyster Institute with support from the Embassy's Public Affairs Section is managing the 2006 recruiting efforts. MEPI Visitors Advance CivEd and Environmental Projects -------------- -------------- ¶9. (U) On September 8-9, the Embassy hosted MEPI Regional Office-Abu Dhabi Education/Economics Specialist Mu'ayyad Mehyar who visited Kuwait to encourage the completion of Kuwait Environmental Protection Society's environmental awareness project proposal. Jay Taylor of the Center for Civic Education joined Mr. Mehyar on September 10 to promote MEPI's civic education programs for Kuwaiti public schools at the Ministry of Education. The visitors, accompanied by Embassy Public Affairs staff, met with MinEd official Yusra Al-Omar. Ms. Al-Omar indicated the Ministry's interest in the Civic Education project and proposed that the Center for Civic Education conduct training exercises in Kuwait by December 2006. The aim of the teacher training is to introduce the civic education project into Kuwaiti schools as soon as February 2007. Post is pursuing a formal response from the Ministry of Education. ¶10. (SBU) MEPI Washington Program Manager Olivia Ricchi and Patricia Tierney, Program Director for the Women in Technology (WIT) program, visited Kuwait September 20 - 23. In addition to meeting with representations of the Women's Network on hiring for and establishing the WIT program, they had meetings with Kuwaiti women lawyers on activities to strengthen the legal education of women and position them to become lawyers. MEPI partner Dr. Rola Dashti proposed that the Women's Network host the proposed Gulf hub of the Arab Women's Legal Network. Attorney and former law school dean Dr. Badria Al-Awadi and prosecutor Dr. Weam Al-Masri promised to be actively involved in the hub if Kuwait were selected. Al-Awadi also stressed the importance of including in the hub a legal aid center to provide assistance to all women in Kuwait, not just Kuwaiti nationals. They further stressed the importance of addressing discrepancies in family/personal status law, commenting that the women facing the most discrimination were expatriates and non-elites. In a separate meeting, Dr. Al-Tararwah offered to organize a local or regional conference on women's legal issues if provided with the necessary resources and direction. ¶11. (SBU) Ricchi also met with Dima Malhaus of Freedom House which is in the early stages of a project examinining family law. Ricchi echoed Post's recommendations that Freedom House consult widely and enlist the assistance of Al-Awadi, Al-Tararwah, and Dr. Alanoud KUWAIT 00004235 003 OF 004 Al-Sharekh who have all reviewed or done projects related to family law. In previous meetings with Freedom House, Post also stressed the importance of the project over Freedom House's presence in Kuwait. Other MEPI partners have proven times that it is possible to operate successfully in Kuwait without formal office space, and administrative tasks can be completed with the support of local NGOs or commercial firms. In-Country Programs -------------- ¶12. (U) An Embassy MEPI team member attended the one-day Media Law Reform Workshop held September 16 on the topic of Kuwait's new media law and the identification of priorities for media reform. Coordinated in conjunction with the Center for Defending the Freedom of Journalists (CDFJ) and the Kuwait Syndicate of Correspondents (KSC),editors-in-chief, reporters and media commentators as well as attorneys specializing in media law attended the workshop. This practical and constructive conference helped Kuwait media identify two areas that they considered worth pursuing: 1) advocating for improved to information from public officials and ministry information officers, and 2) reform of the new press law to include greater protection for journalists and specifically reducing proscribed jail terms as outlined in the new law. ¶13. (U) Representatives of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) returned to Kuwait in mid-September to assess the impact of previous NDI activities and to develop a work plan for effective use of remaining MEPI funds. The team met with some of the women who ran for Parliament, women political activists, and members of Post's MEPI committee. All identified the need for continued civic education, especially for women living outside of Kuwait City, and educating women on how to lobby and build advocacy groups. NDI is redrafting a strategy for Post and MEPI Washington approval. Alumni Activities -------------- ¶14. (U) Alumni USA: The Ambassador hosted the first networking event for all Kuwaiti participants in USG-funded exchange programs as well as select graduates of American colleges and universities on September 17. MEPI participants in programs, projects, and conferences also were included. This event attracted more than 250 guests and encouraged cross-fertilization between USG-funded program participants representing a broad swathe of accomplished professionals and executives comprising Kuwaiti society. Training -------------- ¶15. (U) Kuwait's POLChief and Cultural Affairs Specialist attended the "Program Officers Training Seminar" hosted by the MEPI Regional Office in Abu Dhabi from September 25-27, 2006. The Next Year of MEPI: New Targets, New Focus -------------- ¶16. (U) As mentioned in the third quarter report, the Embassy will focus on the following six prime objectives for future MEPI programming: a) encouraging the development of advocacy programs to help women and youth get their messages heard by elected bodies, b) promoting civic education in the public school system in partnership with the Ministry of Education, which has begun looking at implementing civic education in the curriculum, c) establishing university linkages between Kuwaiti and American institutions of higher education through MEPI and other channels, d) supporting reform and training in the legal/judicial field and for parliamentarians and National Assembly staff, e) supporting education programs for youth, including supporting youth Parliament programs intended to encourage youth engagement in politics and to provide them with leadership skills, and f) continuing political training based on the elections results and lessons learned from the elections process. Recommendations -------------- ¶17. (U) As a result of IIP-sponsored speakers on gender and politics and interfaith dialogue who visited Kuwait in September 2006, MEPI alumni participating in their programs proposed to EmbOffs and interlocutors future MEPI projects along the following lines: a) a business leadership training program for 10-14 women under the auspices of American University, b) a "collaborative classroom" interactive dialogue conducted by the KUWAIT 00004235 004 OF 004 director of the Women and Politics Institute via DVC linking women's networks established at American University in Washington, D.C., and American University of Kuwait, c) a student political activism grant with the Youth Group Organization, d) a program promoting dialogue between American and Kuwaiti Muslim leaders on democratic principles and Islam. ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * TUELLER