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Women and Human Rights In The Middle East

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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy is pleased to announce the Kelly Day Endowment on the Status of Women and Human Rights in the Middle East. This endowment is named in honor of Los Angeles native Mrs. Kelly Day and in recognition of her commitment to these issues.

Positive strides have been taken by women, governments and international organizations during recent years to engage Middle Eastern women more actively in public life. The Kelly Day Endowment on the Status of Women and Human Rights in the Middle East funds programs at the Baker Institute and abroad that bring together Muslims, Christians and Jews to examine human rights issues and the role of Middle Eastern women in all sectors of society.

Understanding the challenges Middle Eastern women face, as well as their record of achievements, is critical to advancing and safeguarding human rights in the region. By identifying countries and policies that promote human rights and the involvement of women, these programs help policymakers better predict and appreciate how the broader participation of individuals in the public and private sector might impact regional attitudes on major domestic and international issues. These programs also analyze the correlation between policies intended for the advancement of women and children and progress on broader goals such as democratic reform, economic advancement and improved education. The endowment has featured speakers including Jehan Sadat, former first lady of Egypt; Zainab Salbi, co-founder of Women for Women International; and Muslim televangelist and social activist Amr Khaled, chairman of the Right Start Foundation International.

The Kelly Day Endowment on the Status of Women and Human Rights in the Middle East has established an advisory board to help implement the vision of this program. Members of the board are Mrs. Susan Baker, Mrs. Kelly Day, Mrs. Paula Douglass and Mrs. Ghada Irani.

Founders’ Circle:

  • Mr. and Mrs. Eli Broad
  • The Honorable James A. Baker, III, and Mrs. Baker
  • Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Day
  • Mr. and Mrs. Sam P. Douglass
  • Mr. Bradford M. Freeman
  • Mr. and Mrs. Marc Stern
  • Mr. and Mrs. John Hotchkis
  • Mr. Robert Maguire, III
  • Wilson-Thornhill Foundation


The Ghada Irani Discretionary Fund

The Ghada Irani Discretionary Fund was established in honor of Mrs. Ghada Irani and in recognition of her important involvement in the establishment of the Kelly Day Endowment on the Status of Women and Human Rights in the Middle East. This fund complements the broader goals of the Kelly Day Endowment by supporting research and activities that promote new and innovative ways to better understand and improve upon the policies and practices that impact women and human rights in the Middle East. In addition, the fund also sponsors special projects in the form of microgrants that the Kelly Day Endowment’s advisory board has identified as meaningful to the advancement of women’s issues in the Middle East.

PUBLICATIONS
2007
The "Woman's Issue" in Context: Deframing the Discourse on Middle Eastern Women
May 20 2007
Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned
EVENTS