Al-Hayat Center for Civil Socity Development

Al-Hayat Center for Civil Society Development

Introduction
Al-Hayat Center is a Jordanian civil society organization, independent, non-governmental and non-profit. Established in 2006 by the efforts of a group of young Jordanian civil activists. Al-Hayat Center aims at enhancing political life in Jordan within the frame of democratic principles, human rights and the rule of law, through raising public awareness on the values of civil society based on justice, equality, freedom, participation and acceptance.

Al-Hayat Center believes that in order to achieve sustainable development; all societal and political components should engage in a constructive crystal of projects to fairly address the various developmental needs of each component. Therefore, Al-Hayat center has been reaching out to rural areas, Badia, refugee camps and city centers, with its gender-balanced activities to maximize the efficiency of public engagement.

Descending from Al-Hayat's deep commitment towards regional development and global citizenship values, Al-Hayat Center has a wild outreach on both regional and international levels, where Al-Hayat has significant contributions in building the capacities of CSOs in monitoring elections, enhancing political development, advocating for human rights and supporting democratic transitions in several Arab countries including -but not limited to- Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Sudan, Morocco, Yemen, the West Bank and Egypt.

Mission Statement
Al-Hayat Center for Civil Society Development aims at achieving sustainable development in Jordan, through building the capacity of the local communities to meet current and future development challenges. This is to be achieved through empowering positive attitudes and ethics that encourage creative thinking, problem solving and decision making, gender awareness, and proper public participation, and promote equality, equity, justice, rule of law, good governance, community service, and interfaith and intercultural dialogue on the individual and organizational levels.

Al-Hayat Programs
MUSHARAKAH: Enhance the public participation among the local community
RASED: Monitoring the Elections and the Performance of the Elected Councils
DEFAA: Support to the Young political Activists and the Young Human Right Defenders in Jordan.

Current Projects:
- Building the Capacity of Young Jordanians Human Right Defenders (YJHRDs) at Jordanians' universities, funded by the Netherlands Embassy.
- Monitoring 2013 Municipal Elections: RASED, funded by NDI.
- Monitoring the Performance 17th Jordanians Parliament, Funded by NDI.
 “Affecting and Enhancing Grassroots Participation in the Political Reform Process in Jordan: MUSHARAKA”, funded by EUD.
- Advocating against the Tribal Evacuation Custom; everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state; Jalwa, funded by the Civil Society Program (CSP).

Projects during the last three years:
Monitoring 2013 Parliamentary Elections: RASED, funded by NDI, UK Embassy, and Canadian Embassy.
- Engaging Youth in Municipality Politics: The Irbid Youth Municipality Council (IYMC) Initiative, October 2011 –September 2012, funded by the Foundation for the Future
- Advocating for Compliance with Article 72: Day Care Centers in Jordanian Workforces February 2012, funded by Vital Voices.
- Promoting Entrepreneurship in Poverty Pockets in Jordan – Municipality of Kufranjah, Funded by the EUD. January 2010- March, 2012.
- Building University Students’ Council Members Democratic Capacity 2009 – 2010, funded by the MOPIC - EUD and the Netherlands Embassy.
- The Importance of Youth Inclusion in Electoral Programs: AHAMIEH II Project 2010, Funded by NDI
- The 2010 Jordanian Election Observation: Al-Rased II project 2010, Funded by NDI.
- Promoting Jordanian Women Skills in Small Projects and Economic Encouragement: Women Entrepreneurs. 2009 – 2010, Funded by the CIDA.
- The Third Arab Youth Meeting in Jordan and Palestine 2012
- The Second Arab Youth Meeting in Jordan and Palestine 2011
- The First Arab Youth Meeting in Jordan and Palestine 2010
- The international Seminar “the Role of CSOs in defending Youth Rights and Liberties, Funded by EUROMED