Annual Report 2024
Syrian flag painted over the face of Hafez al-Assad following the fall of the Assad regime, on the road between Damascus city center and Douma. © Courtesy of Falah Sayed.
Dear friends and supporters,
As I write these words, the Gaza ceasefire has just begun. While we are relieved that the 14-month long genocidal attack against the Palestinian people is ending, we can not unsee nor forget the horror we have witnessed. Our thoughts go to Palestinians who will have to, once more, rebuild while mourning the loss of so many loved ones. We will continue to denounce the decades of apartheid and systemic oppression of Palestinians, as the last months have continued to show the devastating consequences of impunity.
2024 was an eventful year for the region. We were overjoyed by the sudden collapse of Bachar al-Assad in Syria, marking the end of a 54-year long brutal dictatorship. Our thoughts go to those who are still searching for their missing loved ones and trying to rebuild their lives. Though many have shared concerns about the uncertainty of the future, for the first time in decades, Syrians are tasting freedom, regaining hope, and have a unique opportunity to own and shape their future.
With all this, mourning an injustice while celebrating the end of another can make one feel uneasy. This duality should however invite us to reflect on the interconnectedness of the fight against oppression across our region.
2024 was another busy and transformative year at MENA Rights Group (MRG). We were pleased to see, as shown in this report, the impact we were able to have. To ensure we continue to be as strategic and impactful as possible, we finalised our 2024-2026 Strategic Framework, which outlines our organisational, systemic and thematic priorities, along with clearly defined objectives for each of our priority countries. In April, we also had our first-ever team retreat, during which we got to connect, strengthen our trust, learn about self-leadership and how to function autonomously, but also strategise for the future and share our dreams for MRG.
On a personal level, 2024 was also a challenging year as I experienced burnout. Ultimately, the mental and physical loads of running a small non-profit and raising a toddler, among others, caught up with me. I am forever grateful to everyone on my team who stepped up so that I could focus on getting better. Several of my team members also dealt with mental health issues, helping us recognise the importance of fostering a caring workspace.
While we thrive to maintain a healthy and supportive work environment (we also celebrated our 4-day week first anniversary!), this work is never easy. We are passionate, we want to make a difference, uphold the highest standards of professionalism and be empathetic to those we serve, all the while having limited funding and capacity, and dealing with humanly difficult situations.
I believe our sector remains in dire need of transformation, including when it comes to addressing mental health issues. They should be destigmatised, and human rights organisations and activists supported.
Last but not least, I want to honour survivors, victims and their families for placing their trust in us. I also want to thank our partners from this incredible human rights community we are a part of, our funders and supporters, who continue to believe in us and in the importance of what we do. Finally, I want to give a big bow of appreciation to my outstanding team and board members, without whose passion and dedication MRG would not stand as is today.
In solidarity,
Inès Osman
Co-founder and executive director