Freedom House is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization supporting the expansion of freedom around the world. It was founded in 1941 by Eleanor Roosevelt, Wendell Willkie, and other human rights leaders promoting peace and freedom. Freedom House has actively published comparative surveys and special reports focused on the state of democracy and human rights around the world, covering 192 countries and 18 territories. Through an array of international programs and publications, Freedom House is working to advance the expansion of political and economic freedoms. Freedom House's publications are widely used by policy-makers, journalists, and scholars. Freedom House has held a Special Consultative Status before the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 1995.

Website: http://www.freedomhouse.org

The Women’s Cultural and Social Society is the first women’s organization established in Kuwait. It was founded in 1963 as a non-profit organization with a mandate to advance women’s status in all fields, promote women’s participation in society, and raise awareness on women’s rights and duties. The Women’s Cultural and Social Society was founded by a group of Kuwaiti women who were the first to graduate from universities and higher education institutes in Kuwait. The Society’s Board of Directors carries out its duties according to an established statute, whereby Board members share a voluntary responsibility of implementing the society’s leading activities in the fields of culture, social, health, media and sports through specialized committees. The Women’s Cultural and Social Society has held a Special Consultative Status before the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 2004.

Website: http://www.wcss-kwt.org

The Bahrain Women’s Union is a non-profit organization that serves as the umbrella organization for twelve Bahraini women’s societies. The Union was officially established in September 2006, after numerous attempts to obtain an official license, though it has been operational since 2001.  The Bahrain Women’s Union’s mandate focuses on protecting Bahraini women’s rights and raising awareness of women’s rights, preventing all kinds of discrimination against women and empowering women to increase their participation in the legislative and executive processes. The Bahrain Women’s Union is actively following up on the application and implementation of all Arab and international conventions related to women. In 2008, the Bahrain Women’s Union presented a report on Bahrain's compliance to The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

This project is funded through the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) under Cooperative Agreement Number S-NEAPI-05-CA157.  The opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed herein are those of the Author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of State.  MEPI supports efforts to expand political participation, strengthen civil society and the rule of law, empower women and youth, create educational opportunities, and foster economic reform throughout the Middle East and North Africa. In support of these goals, MEPI works with non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and academic institutions, as well as governments.

Website: http://www.mepi.state.gov/

The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Arab States Regional Office was established in Amman in 1994, as one of 15 regional offices of UNIFEM worldwide. Today UNIFEM Arab States Regional Office’'s mandate encompasses 17 Arab countries: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and Algeria.

UNIFEM focuses on three areas: Strengthening women’s economic rights and empowering women to enjoy secure livelihoods as entrepreneurs, producers and home-based workers, especially in the context of new trade agendas and technologies, engendering governance and peace-building to increase women’s participation in decision-making processes that shape their lives, and promoting women’s human rights to eliminate all forms of violence against women and transform development into a more peaceful, equitable and sustainable process.

Website: http://www.unifem.org.jo