 |
Background
The MENA Institute for Women Candidates provided advanced campaign training program for women candidates running for office in the Middle East-North Africa (MENA) region in 2007.
The program partnered with Rola Dashti, a prominent Kuwaiti reformer and women’s rights activist. In 2007, the Institute provided customized mentoring from U.S. based campaign experts to 14 women candidates running in elections in Jordan, Morocco, and Algeria. In 2006, the institute provided training and mentoring to two female candidates in Bahrain’s parliamentary elections.
The institute provided two benefits to the participants: (1) a week-long training and networking session in Istanbul and Brussels where the women work closely with experienced campaign mentors to receive customized instructions, develop a campaign plan, and learn from Middle-Eastern, European, and American political leaders. (2) Upon their return to their home country, the candidates continued to work with their mentor as they implemented their campaign plans. |
Training and Networking Session
The Advanced Campaign Training Networking and Leadership Conference took place on April 7-12, 2007, in Istanbul, Turkey. During this session, the candidates met with their mentors to discuss their campaign organization and strategy, message, material, media relations, and grassroots outreach. In addition, participants met candidates with previous electoral experience, heard from experts in media and polling, and met with Turkish party leaders and political activists. At the end of the session in Istanbul, the women traveled to Brussels, Belgium for additional discussions with European officials, party leaders, and campaign experts.
|
Ongoing Mentorship
After the initial training, the candidates continued to communicate with their assigned mentor as they implemented their campaign plans. The mentors advised the candidates on strategy and guided them in the tools necessary to run an effective campaign. |
|
About the Institute