Tel:	+972-2-5851842

Fax:	+972-2-5835184

The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, MIFTAH, is a non-governmental non-partisan Jerusalem-based institution dedicated to fostering democracy and good governance within Palestinian society through promoting public accountability, transparency, the free flow of information and ideas, and the challenging of stereotyping at home and abroad.
MIFTAH′s Objectives

Reinforcing the Palestinian state-building process through ensuring democratic practices, the rule of law, and respect for human rights.
Promoting the free access and flow of information.
Empowering Palestinian women and youth leaders in different fields and promoting the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
Providing a forum for innovative public discourse and free debate on issues of Palestinian concern, bringing together decision-makers and members of civil society.
Increasing global awareness and knowledge of Palestinian realities by providing reliable, accurate and comprehensive information, policy analysis, strategic briefings and position papers.
Complementing and solidifying international efforts pertaining to cooperation and conflict-resolution based on genuine understanding of the facts, the issues at stake, and the implications of foreign policy decisions on national, regional and global realities.
MIFTAH′s Programmes

MIFTAH′s programmes are carried out by interdependent teams and are concentrated in three main areas:

A. Governance and Democracy

MIFTAH′s Governance and Democracy programme aims at strengthening governance and the rule of law, establishing efficient and transparent systems of accountability, promoting political pluralism and participatory governance, and supporting leadership among women and youth.

The programme comprises the following specific components:

Empowerment of Palestinian women leaders in the media, politics, economics and information technology.
Empowerment of Palestinian youth leaders.
Policy formulation.
Palestinian media monitoring.
Strengthening the role of the media in enhancing principles of accountability and access to information.
Enhancing integrity, transparency and accountability in the Palestinian public sector.
Promoting women′s participation in all stages of the political process.
Projects include public awareness campaigns, thematic discussion meetings, workshops and seminars, training of potential leaders, political party dialogue, public fora, networking and outreach, civic education, nation-building and long-term planning.

MIFTAH is a founding member of the National Coalition for Transparency and Accountability (AMAN), established in February 2000.This coalition has begun work on a national plan aimed at combating corruption, administrative and financial mismanagement across all sectors. MIFTAH has taken upon itself the implementation of particular core components of AMAN′s comprehensive programme for strengthening integrity, transparency and accountability in Palestine .

B. Media and Information

MIFTAH′s media and information programme aims at an accurate presentation of Palestinian social, economic and political realities for the region and internationally. The programme′s components include:

A website in English and Arabic that offers analytical examination of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as well as issues of Palestinian concern, in addition to fact sheets, reports and special studies.
Intensive media activity on particularly pressing issues through interviews, comment, and targeted press releases and briefings.
Networking and coordination with media institutions at the local and international levels.
Statements and petitions pertaining to ‘the wall′, Palestinian prisoners and final resolution issues.
Media monitoring at the regional and global levels.
C. External Relations

This programme focuses on Palestinian-US and Palestinian-European relations with a view to promoting MIFTAH′s guiding principles of democracy, human rights, gender equity and participatory governance in Palestine through:

networking with international interlocutors, institutions of civil society, grassroots organizations, and other similar bodies;
monitoring policy positions taken by individual countries vis-à-vis Palestine ;
conducting regular policy briefings to the Jerusalem-based diplomatic corps;
conducting regular meetings with media institutions at the international and local levels;
participating in conferences, meetings and other activities at the international level; and
conducting meetings with decision-makers and opinion-formers in the US and in European Union states.
Support and Administration

Support and assistance for the core programmes are provided by MIFTAH′s Administration and Finance Unit and the Information Technology Unit. The institution′s accounts are audited by Ernest and Young.

Established in December 1998, with Hanan Ashrawi as its Secretary-General, MIFTAH′s aim is to serve as a Palestinian platform for global dialogue and cooperation guided by the principles of democracy, human rights, gender equity, and participatory governance.