ABOUT US
MENA SpotLight, a 501©(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to uplifting youth specially women in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Our mission is to equip them with essential skills and knowledge, enabling them to become effective citizen advocates for human rights. Through comprehensive training programs, we strive to amplify their voices and ensure that their stories and perspectives resonate. By empowering women in human rights advocacy and leadership, we not only invest in individual growth but also contribute to building a more just and equitable society.
MISSION
MENA SpotLight is unwavering in its commitment to developing a sustainable strategy that advances human rights and democracy across the MENA region. We firmly acknowledge the pivotal role of education in the Middle East and North Africa, serving as the bedrock for human rights, democratic values, and the pursuit of freedom and prosperity. Our primary focus lies in empowering women through education. By fostering access to academic resources, we aim to unleash the potential of young talents who will drive developmental leadership within the region and beyond. Through our platform and programs, we create meaningful opportunities for young scholars, particularly women, to engage with subject matter experts worldwide. This collaborative environment encourages innovation and positive change as we amplify their voices in the ongoing quest for human rights and democratic principles.
OUR TEAM
Dr. Layla M. Hashemi
Researcher and Data Analyst At (TraCCC)
DR. Farnaz Shirani
Post-doctoral Researcher in International Law
Tugce (Yurdagul) Kocatas
Growth & Social Media Management
Board of Directors
Vida Balikhani
Board Director and MENA Spotlight Founder
Vida Balikhani is a dedicated advocate for human rights, with a diverse career encompassing journalism, legal consultancy, and non-profit leadership. Her journey began as an undergraduate majoring in mass communication, where she honed her skills in journalism and advocacy at several reformist news outlets in Iran. Her passion for law and international relations led her to pursue a master’s degree in International Business Law at Shahid Beheshti University.
Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, Vida established two professional magazines in Iran and the United Arab Emirates, significantly contributing to the regional discourse on business and legal matters. Her expertise as a legal business consultant was sought after by numerous companies, demonstrating her ability to navigate complex legal landscapes.
A decade ago, Vida moved to the United States, marking a new chapter in her career. Here, she continued her work with various human rights organizations and news outlets, serving in roles such as consultant, journalist, and project manager for human rights initiatives. Her commitment to empowering journalists extended beyond borders as she remotely trained professionals in the Middle East, sharing her extensive knowledge and experience.
In her role as a security advisor, Vida provided guidance on numerous projects, ensuring the safety and integrity of operations in volatile environments. To further solidify her expertise, she pursued a second master’s degree in international human Rights Law from Regent University, equipping her with a deep understanding of the legal frameworks that underpin human rights globally.
Vida Balikhani’s multifaceted career is a testament to her unwavering dedication to fostering change and promoting human rights. Her work has not only impacted the communities she has directly served but also inspired countless others to pursue justice and equality. Her story is one of resilience, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to making the world a more just and equitable place for all.
Vida Balikhani is a staunch advocate for equality and education. She established MENA Spotlight in the United States with the mission to provide skills and education to underprivileged academia in the MENA region. Her organization is committed to teaching journalism and fostering a belief in equal rights, ensuring that young women and youth have the opportunities and tools necessary to raise their voices and effect change. Through MENA Spotlight, Vida aims to create a platform where the underrepresented can gain the knowledge and confidence to become leaders and advocates, contributing to a more balanced and just society. Her work through this organization is a continuation of her lifelong commitment to human rights and empowerment.
Vida Balikhani has also made significant contributions to literature, having authored a chapter of a book and assisted with the editing and accuracy checking of a publication on "contemporary social discourse in Iran".
Thomas Graham, Jr.
Former Ambassador, US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
Thomas Graham, Jr., served for nearly three decades at the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, including a decade and a half as general counsel as well as Acting Director of the agency for most of 1993. In 1993 he led the effort to establish a long-term moratorium on the conduct of nuclear weapons tests. From 1994 to 1996, he was a principal figure in the worldwide effort to successfully support the conclusion of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty negotiations.
Dr Katerina Dalacoura
Associate Professor in International Relations Department of International Relations
Dr Katerina Dalacoura is Associate Professor in International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She has been awarded a Major Research Fellowship by the Leverhulme Trust for three years starting September 2021. Her project, entitled ‘The International Thought of Turkish Islamists: History, Civilisation and Nation’ will be a work of intellectual history that engages with the concept of a ‘global IR’. In 2015-16, she was British Academy Mid-Career Fellow and in 2016-19 she participated in a project on the ‘Middle East and North Africa Regional Architecture’, sponsored by the European Commission under the auspices of Horizon 2020 (2016-19). She previously worked at the University of Essex and at the International Institute of Strategic Studies. Dr Dalacoura’s work has centered on the intersection of Islamism and international human rights norms. She has worked on human rights, democracy and democracy promotion, in the Middle East, particularly in the context of Western policies in the region. Her latest research focuses on the role of culture and civilization in International Relations with special reference to Turkey. She has a continuing interest in questions of secularity and secularization in the Middle East. She is author of Islam, Liberalism and Human Rights: Implications for International Relations (I. B. Tauris, 2007), Islamist Terrorism and Democracy in the Middle East (Cambridge University Press, 2011) and of a number of chapters and articles in peer-reviewed journals. Dr Dalacoura teaches a third year undergraduate course on the Middle East and International Relation theory and a course on the international politics of culture and religion at MSc level; as well as undergraduate and post-graduate courses on international relations theory.
Dr. Heba F. El-Shazli
Associate Professor at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government
Dr. Heba F. El-Shazli is Instructional Associate Professor at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government since 2014 and former Director of Undergraduate Programs (2021-23). She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on the following topics: Governments and Politics of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Islam and Politics, International Relations Theory, Civil Society and Social Movements, and Israeli-Palestinian Politics, History, Society, and Economics. Awarded the 2016 Outstanding Teacher Award and the 2022 Dean’s Service Award. El-Shazli is an affiliate faculty to the AbuSulayman Center for Global Islamic Studies at George Mason University. She was also an Adjunct Faculty at Georgetown University’s Master’s Degree Program at the Center for Democracy and Civil Society from 2013-2019.
Dr. John Calabrese
Assistant Professor Office of Global and Immersive Studies Faculty
Dr. John Calabrese teaches US foreign policy at American University in Washington, DC. He is the book review editor of The Middle East Journal and previously served as director of MEI's Middle East-Asia Project (MAP), and as general series editor of MEI Viewpoints. He is the author of China's Changing Relations with the Middle East and Revolutionary Horizons: Iran's Regional Foreign Policy. He has edited several books and has written numerous articles on the international relations of the Middle East, especially on the cross-regional ties between the Middle East and Asia. He co-directed the MEI-FRS project for the European Commission on Transatlantic Cooperation on Protracted Displacement.
