SharaKa for Inclusive Climate Action empowers civil society organizations (CSOs) and citizens to safely and effectively influence and co-create inclusive climate action in Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, and the occupied Palestinian territory.

The project is also building a learning and exchange network so climate CSOs and independent media can produce accessible fact-based information on the local climate situation for the wider public.

The two-year project is implemented by Hivos in partnership with Internews, the Arab Reform Initiative (ARI), and Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ). It works closely with local climate CSOs, natural resource defenders (NRDs), and independent media outlets.

Why is SharaKa necessary?

The MENA region is highly vulnerable to climate change-induced instability – including democratic backsliding, human rights violations, and conflict. Citizens and civil society have a key role to play in contributing to inclusive climate action but are hampered by a number of factors. For example, many climate CSOs don’t‎ have sufficient technical or operational capacity and tend to work in isolation. Both organizations and individuals engaged in climate action often face safety and security threats, as well as restricted access to public records. These obstacles, combined with a lack of credible and engaging information and reporting on climate issues, limit public awareness. This is especially true of local climate issues that reveal governance failures and rights violations.

Our approach

The SharaKa project addresses these challenges in three ways. It links up CSOs working for climate justice in the region, it provides them with tools and skills to create locally viable solutions and policies, and it connects them to appropriate media outlets to facilitate the production of credible, fact-based content that informs the public on the most pressing climate issues facing their countries and the wider MENA region.

SharaKa has an inclusive, multi-stakeholder, and intersectional climate justice approach. The project prioritizes the needs and voices of those disproportionately affected by climate change, such as women, young people, displaced communities, and other marginalized groups. Furthermore, to ensure relevance and effectiveness, it has harnessed the extensive experience of international partners (Hivos and Internews), regional partners (ARI and ARIJ), and local CSOs.

Main activities:

  • Research analyzing the policies and activities of NGOs and individuals working on climate and the environment in the three focus countries
  • A regional climate platform to connect MENA climate justice actors
  • An Arabic online reference guide on specific climate challenges in the MENA region, including creative communication materials for environmental reporting
  • An investigative journalism fellowship focused on climate challenges in Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, and occupied Palestinian territory.
  • A regional chapter of the Earth Journalism Network to support environmental reporting
  • Digital safety training and financial support for operational needs for climate CSOs and independent media outlets.

Where

Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, and the occupied Palestinian territory

Period

September 2023 – September 2025

Partners