by Abdelhafidh Abdeleli, swissinfo.ch
Swiss non-governmental organisations working in North Africa and the Middle East welcome changes underway in the region, but warn that not all problems will be solved. The NGOs say that while more democracy is on the cards, constitutional changes and more social justice are needed to ensure reforms are a success.
For Pierre Zwahlen, spokesman for Terre des hommes, which operates in nine Arab countries providing help to children, these changes herald a new era where human rights will be respected, transparency prevails, and where democracy is the norm.
But he adds “this process will take a long time, and we are following these developments with great interest”.
Another Swiss-based NGO, the Hirondelle media foundation, stresses the important role the media should play at this juncture.
“It should switch from being a tool favouring dictatorships into a voice expressing the people’s will,” said Julia Crawford, head of new projects at Hirondelle.
“The media should also be more committed to professional standards.”
Support needed
All indications point to populations in several Arab countries taking affairs back into their own hands, pushing through political reforms and working for improved living standards.
But Franz von Däniken, a board member of Drosos, which provides social assistance for the poor with over 60 projects in the Arab world, cautions it won’t all change for the better immediately.