Network – Middle East

Partner Organization: ULDY/UJDL
Activities: Create a network of left parties in the region.
Project Started in: 2009.
Project Budget: 220 000 SEK for the period 2009-2010.

Network of left parties in the region
Since 2009 VIF and its main partner, UJDL (Democratic Youth), have run a project to create a permanent and coordinated network of the youth associations of left parties in the region. The activities consist mainly of regional network conferences, camps, seminars, exchange visits and the establishment of a joint website.

Systematic violation of democratic and human rights
Massive oil resources and a number of political and military conflicts have made the Middle East a key region in global politics and economics. The major powers’ political and economic interests in the region have often led to their turning a blind eye to several countries’ systematic violation of democratic and human rights. Israel’s occupation of Palestine is the most obvious expression of this state of affairs. The party system in the region also suffers from several problems. In states such as Egypt, Tunisia and Syria political life is dominated by a single party, while parties are forbidden in Libya, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. And in Lebanon, Iraq and Bahrain a large part of party politics has been divided up along ethnic or sectarian lines. Progressive left forces are often isolated socially and politically. Existing contact networks between left forces in the region are often temporary and function badly. The region needs a more permanent and practically oriented network that can create the necessary conditions for parties to be able to fight social injustices, repression and occupation.

Conferences, camps, seminars, exchange visits
The project’s goal is to contribute to the creation of a permanent and coordinated network of left parties in the region. Through the network, progressive political parties exchange experiences of political organizing, with a special focus on women’s organizing and participation in political life. The activities consist primarily of regional network conferences. The first conference was carried out in London in the summer of 2009 and focused on democratic and human rights. The network also arranges camps, seminars, exchange visits and work a common website.

ULDY
VIF’s primary cooperating organization in this project is the Union of Lebanese Democratic Youth (ULDY/UJDL). UJDL was formally established in 1970and is a youth association that works for a secular, democratic and socially and economically just Lebanon. UJDL is also the driving force for a free Palestine among young people in Lebanon.

Facts about the Region
Region/Countries: Middle East (Mainly Bahrain, Egypt Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Yemen)
Languages: Arabic

Population: (2010, estimated)
0,7 million (Bahrain)
79 million (Egypt)
23 million (Yemen)
6 million (Jordan)
3 million (Kuwait)
4 million (Lebanon)
22 million (Syria)

BNP/capita: (2009, estimated)
38 800 USD (Bahrain)
6 000 USD (Egypt)
2500 USD (Yemen)
5 200 USD (Jordan)
52 800 USD (Kuwait)
13 200 USD (Lebanon)
4 600 USD (Syria)

Area:
741 km² (Bahrain)
1 001 450 km² (Egypt)
527 968km² (Yemen)
89 342 km² (Jordan)
17 818 km² (Kuwait)
10 400 km² (Lebanon)
185 180 km² (Syria)

More Information
ULDY/UJDL: www.uldy.org
For more information contact Christian Camitz: c_camitz@hotmail.com