MENA Social Policy Network

20/04/2026

As Chatham House's project "Evolving social contracts in the MENA region" concludes, have a look at its thought provoking outputs (available in English and Arabic):

Project page: https://www.chathamhouse.org/evolving-social-contracts-mena-region
- Research Paper by Karim Elgendy How the Middle East and North Africa can benefit from adaptive climate governance: https://www.chathamhouse.org/2025/12/how-middle-east-and-north-africa-can-benefit-adaptive-climate-governance
- Article by Sanam Vakil Containment and adaptation: governance in the Arab World after 2011: https://kalam.chathamhouse.org/articles/containment-and-adaptation-governance-in-the-arab-world-after-2011/
- Article by Sara Cherqaoui Navigating digital labour transitions in MENA: Lessons from Qatar and Lebanon: https://kalam.chathamhouse.org/articles/navigating-digital-labour-transitions-in-mena-lessons-from-qatar-and-lebanon/
- Article by Hayder Al-Shakeri Lessons from Morocco’s protests: Why MENA governments still need citizens’ buy-in: https://kalam.chathamhouse.org/articles/lessons-from-moroccos-protests-why-mena-governments-still-need-citizens-buy-in/
- Article by Mohammed Jamal Why Iraq must embrace a digital‑economy strategy: https://kalam.chathamhouse.org/articles/why-iraq-must-embrace-a-digital%E2%80%91economy-strategy/
- Article by Sabrine Emran and Abdessalam Jaldi From framework to action: Local participation in Morocco's climate journey: https://kalam.chathamhouse.org/articles/from-framework-to-action-local-participation-in-moroccos-climate-journey/
- Article by Malak Altaeb Empowering local actors to ensure climate resilience in Libya: https://kalam.chathamhouse.org/articles/empowering-local-actors-to-ensure-climate-resilience-in-libya/
- Article by Zine Labidine Gheboili Algeria’s youth after Hirak: Pathways for reform and inclusion: https://kalam.chathamhouse.org/articles/algerias-youth-after-hirak-pathways-for-reform-and-inclusion/
- Article by Sumaiya Al-Wahaibi Saudi Arabia and Oman's transformation strategies must move from performative to genuine citizen engagement: https://kalam.chathamhouse.org/articles/saudi-arabia-and-omans-transformation-strategies-must-move-from-performative-to-genuine-citizen-engagement/

Research seeks to generate new insights through bottom-up perspectives and emerging regional expertise on the social contract between MENA states and populations.

15/03/2026

Check out this research paper that was supported by the MENA Social Policy Network's Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) Funded Project "Strengthening social protection, security and welfare in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region".

Integrating Climate Change Into Social Protection Approaches: Developing a Policy Framework for Jordan.

This article explores the integration of climate change risks into social protection approaches looking at the case of Jordan. Creating cobenefits between SDGs 1 and 13, climate-sensitive social prot...

25/02/2026

Highlights from the 2nd Meeting of the Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS), where policymakers, service providers and partners advanced regional coordination to strengthen rural advisory systems and empower rural actors across the NENA region.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

https://www.fao.org/neareast/events/details/2nd-meeting-of-the-arab-forum-for-rural-advisory-services-afras/en

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je99CYZ_V_A

Highlights from the 2nd Meeting of the Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS), where policymakers, service providers and partners advanced regional c...

20/01/2026

*** CALL FOR ABSTRACTS***
Deadline 1 February 2026

(ISA) RC19 Research Committee on Poverty, Social Welfare and Social Policy Annual Conference, 2026 - Social Policy and Transnationalism: Theory, method, politics, policy and practice

2-4 September 2026, University of Birmingham (UK)

Individual and panel abstracts can be submitted online via the conference webpage, where you will also find all conference-relevant information:

https://uobevents.eventsair.com/rc19

18/01/2026

💡International Visiting Research Fellowship Scheme 2026

CHASM (at the University of Birmingham) is pleased to announce that applications for the 2026 International Visiting Research Fellowship Scheme are now open. The deadline for applications is Monday, 23 February 2026.

The International Visiting Research Fellowship Scheme continues to foster valuable global collaborations, bringing together visiting academics and CHASM researchers to advance innovative, policy-relevant work. Reflections from our most recent Fellows highlight the depth of engagement and meaningful impact generated through these partnerships.

We invite applications from international researchers whose interests align with CHASM’s core themes:

• Wealth, Assets and Inequality
• Poverty, Precarity, Saving and Debt
• Risk and Financial Wellbeing in Later Life

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/centres-institutes/household-assets-and-savings-management/international-visiting-research-fellowship-scheme-2026

18/01/2026

📢 Abstract submissions are closing soon!! 📢
Deadlines:
- Organized: 30 Jan 2026
- Capacity Strengthening: 30 Jan 2026
- Individual: 13 Mar 2026

https://hsr2026.healthsystemsresearch.org/submit-an-abstract/

21/11/2025

📢 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝗗𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝘀𝗶𝗮–𝗚𝗖𝗖 𝗠𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗼𝗿

The International Labour Organization STREAM Programme Extending Social Protection to Migrant Workers and their Families in the South Asia–Gulf Corridor invites researchers to submit proposals to present research papers relevant to the intersection between domestic work, the care economy and social protection across the South Asia-GCC Migration Corridor.

⏳The deadline for submission is Friday, 19 December 2025.

https://www.ilo.org/resource/other/call-papers-domestic-work-care-economy-and-social-protection-across-south

12/11/2025

Happy 10th Anniversary, socialprotection.org!

12/11/2025

Join ISA Research Committee on Poverty, Social Welfare and Social Policy (RC19) & Acápacá in their upcoming webinar:

'Rethinking Social Policy and Aid in Times of Human-led Institutional Collapse'

📅Thursday, November 27, 3 pm to 4:15 pm CET.

ISA Research Committee on Poverty, Social Welfare and Social Policy (RC19) & Acápacá invite you to the webinar:

'Rethinking Social Policy and Aid in Times of Human-led Institutional Collapse'

📅Thursday, November 27, 3 pm to 4:15 pm CET.

"While the global aid system faces mounting crises—its rules, categories, and institutions increasingly out of step with reality—this webinar focuses on a more specific and urgent challenge: the collapse of entire welfare systems due to human-made actions, as seen in places like Gaza and Sudan.

In these contexts, it is not nature but warfare, occupation, and political dismantling that have imploded institutions—from healthcare and schools to neighborhoods and families. These human-led collapses raise stark questions: How can social policy, humanitarian relief, and welfare function in the total absence of functioning institutions?

This crisis unfolds within a broader landscape where the traditional “chessboard” of aid—its assumptions, structures, and flows—has broken down. But rather than focus on the aid system itself, this webinar brings together three leading voices to explore what can be rebuilt amid human-engineered ruin, and how solidarity and care can be reimagined from the ground up."

Meeting registration: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/DZQ4UTB-S9C61mMz_ni7Rg #/registration

05/11/2025

The Society for Algerian Studies and the LSE Middle East Centre are delighted to announce a new round of our prize aimed at Master’s students in the UK conducting research on Algeria.

Launched in 2019, the prize is designed to encourage and celebrate outstanding research, prizes will be awarded to the most innovative and significant Master’s dissertations focussing on Algeria.

Applicants should complete the online application form by 23.59 GMT on 30 November 2025.

More information:

The LSE Middle East Centre and the Society for Algerian Studies run a UK-wide prize for Master's dissertations on Algeria.

28/10/2025

Submission is open for the Global Social Policy jounal!

https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/global-social-policy/journal200964

18/10/2025

BADIL | The Alternative Policy Institute (BADIL) is pleased to invite applications for its Non- Resident Fellowship Program, a year-long fellowship designed to advance justice-driven, evidence-based policy and journalism in Lebanon and Syria, as well as the wider West Asia and North Africa (WANA) re...