Arab Citizens Support Democratic Reforms

North Africa said they wish to see their governments adopt democratic reforms, including establishing more independent courts, media, and parliamentary systems.

“These reports, written entirely by Arabs, debunk the myth that Arabs are not ready or supportive of good governance and the rule of law,” said Keith Henderson, senior rule of law advisor for the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), in an IFES article released January 30.

Findings from the report – which surveyed hundreds of people in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and Morocco – were made public during conferences held in January in Amman, Jordan, and Cairo, Egypt, sponsored by IFES and the Arab Center for the Development of the Rule of Law and Integrity (ACRLI). 

Those conferences brought together more than 200 government officials, judges, lawyers, parliamentarians, journalists, and community leaders from the region to discuss and debate the report released under the auspices of the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP), which receives some of its funding from MEPI for the Civil Society Strengthening Program conducted in several countries throughout the region.

Using an analytical framework based on rule of law and democratic good governance principles, the reports examine the state of the parliament, media, and judiciary in major cities in the four countries.  “These reports are a unified call for reform from Arab people themselves,” said Henderson in the IFES statement.  “The question is whether Arab leaders will listen.”

The Arab researchers conducting the study found “a lack of independence for journalists, parliamentarians, judges, and lawyers” as one of the main issues for both Arab professionals and the general public.   Respondents also cited bribery and corruption as key problems within their societies, according to the IFES statement.

“Arab professionals across the region,” Henderson said, “are struggling to work within a culture of fear.”