The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy
MIFTAH was established in 1998 as an independent Palestinian civil society institution committed to fostering the principles of democracy and effective dialogue. MIFTAH’s main work during its beginning was on political concerns especially opening dialogue on final status issues, disseminating the Palestinian narrative on regional and international levels in addition to working on the local and national levels to support building the Palestinian state.
Ever since its establishment and especially after the fall of the Camp David peace negotiations in 2000, MIFTAH was dedicated to Palestinian nation-building and empowerment on the basis of the principles of democracy, human rights, rule of law, and participatory governance. MIFTAH was one of the first Palestinian NGOs to realize the importance of institution building and democracy to ensure state building, in parallel with the political process, after the failure in the peace talks and the invasion of the West Bank that followed. In support of good governance and democracy, MIFTAH used to and continues to influence public policy formulation for safeguarding citizens’ rights and enhance justice and rule of law with a special focus on marginalized segments of Palestinian society especially women and youth. MIFTAH’s political impartiality has turned it into a well-reputed and well-respected organization, hence, it provides a safe place for male and female political activists, leaders, members of local councils, Palestinian Legislative Council, Palestinian Political Factions, and Community-Based Organizations and public institutions to exchange information and engage in constructive dialogue to enhance multichannel communication among all sectors of society, with the view of supporting policy formulation, addressing policy recommendations and policy proposals.