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Collaborative approaches to building new structures drive both communities
The revolt in many Arab countries is “almost an embodiment of social entrepreneurship” because of its collaborative and creative ways in creating new structures, Queen Noor of Jordan told delegates at the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship.
“In a sense they (the protesters) not only employ the tools of social entrepreneurship, they can be seen as almost an embodiment of social entrepreneurship itself, as evidenced by their collaborative, creative and collective was of bypassing traditional structures that have silenced people for so long,” Queen Noor said.
The Internet and social media had catalysed change in the region's “police-state culture of fear, intimidation and corruption”, which had resulted in deficits in just and representative governments, the rule of law and human rights.
Protesters' networks held together just by social media and mobile phones came together to maintain the momentum and spirit of the awakening in Egypt and elsewhere in the region, Queen Noor said.
“Their revolution represents a new kind of intelligence, not secret intelligence maintained for the security and benefit of a few but a wide-scale intelligence by and for the masses, ” she said in a speech at the closing ceremony of the Forum in Oxford on Friday.
But she warned that as a wave of change sweeps much of region, there is a need to focus on building leadership for the future, a task she said is "our greatest challenge”.
“The collective, pluralistic nature of the protest is heartening but lack of clear leadership may pose serious challenges going forward,” Queen Noor said. “Dangers abound…first and foremost, it is vital to safeguard these movements from being politically and physically hijacked.
“Even where rulers have been disposed, reform must be real, new governments must genuinely embrace change rather than preserve old power structures under a new figureheads while making limited cosmetic concessions to placate protesters.”
ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERSHIP
Some of this leadership could be stimulated by connecting with entrepreneurs.
Queen Noor cited an example of collaboration between protesters and business in Egypt. An advertising agency and its client, a manufacturer of cleaning supplies, launched a nationwide campaign to clean up the streets and neighbourhoods where the uprising took place and used Facebook to get organised.
“They organised and publicised weekly clean-up dates on Facebook and many of the young people who protested and partied returned to show their civic commitment to improving their country, “ Queen Noor said.
Jordanian entrepreneur Fadi Ghandour said there was a “generation in waiting” in the Arab world, and he urged entrepreneurs to do their part in shaping something better for the future of the Middle East and North Africa region.
“Barely two months ago, I thought I would be standing here today talking to you about Arab civil society’s quiet action for change” Ghandour, chief executive of Aramex, a global transportation and logistics company told delegates in a speech at the closing ceremony.
“It was a hard sell…. But our civil societies finally turned out to be more alive, more confident, and, yes, more furious than many of us thought they were."
Queen Noor also stressed that women’s rights and participation must be at the core of change in the region.
“Women’s rights and participation must not be sacrificed on the altar of expediency,” she said. “Unfortunatly, as revolution gives way to real-politique, women’s rights are all too often the first to be compromised and bartered away.
She pointed out that in Egypt, while women and men protested side by side, all too soon sexual harassment and discrimination re-appeared.
“When women returned on International Women’s Day to Tahir Square to protest the absence of women on the constitutional amendment committee they were attacked by their male counter-protesters.”
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