The Middle East Needs Next-Generation Philanthropists To Step Up for Human Rights

Founder, Zovighian Public Office

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Every August has become a terrible personal reckoning with injustice. On Aug. 3, 2014, Da'esh, also known as ISIS, invaded Sinjar, Iraq, and began their genocidal campaign against the Yazidi people and other ancient communities. This year, we painfully marked 10 years of genocide, 10 years of displacement of an entire population, 10 years of continued captivity of women, girls, and boys, and no justice or accountability. On Aug. 4, 2020, my hometown, Beirut, experienced the greatest non-nuclear explosion in world history at the Beirut Port, near where my family lives, killing hundreds, destroying the capital, and displacing 300,000 people following the damage or destruction of their homes. This August marks four years of loss of human life because of criminal negligence, and four years of no justice or accountability. Time will never stop counting until Sinjaris and Beirutis achieve justice on their own terms.

As a philanthropist and humanitarian diplomat who founded the Zovighian Public Office, I work with some of the most incredible human beings from communities facing crimes of genocide, crimes of war, and crimes against humanity. From Yazidi leaders who founded multiple NGOs such as Yazda, Sinjar Academy, and the Yazidi Survivors Network (YSN) to several Lebanese NGO leaders, journalists, and artists across the country, to Artsakhi Armenian leaders and Armenian institutions such as the Artsakh Union. We are all in pain and suffering together, and we are all fighting for the same victories, human rights, and chances of achieving a safer and kinder future for all.

Justice sign — The word "Justice" is seen near the site of the Beirut explosion. PHOTO COURTESY OF MEGHRY TOPOUSHIAN/ZOVIGHIAN PUBLIC OFFICE

I was very excited when the Pearl Initiative and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation proposed that my social impact and research company, the Zovighian Partnership, co-invest with them in building data on next-generation philanthropy in the Middle East. We have a dearth of data in our region with little investment in grounded and homegrown data. Investing in research is not the common course of action for crisis response philanthropists who prefer to fund causes rather than the information infrastructure to achieve greater impact. As a result, many policy decisions and humanitarian initiatives have higher risks of failing in achieving their full potential.

We embarked on a six-month research journey and collaborated with 83 next-generation philanthropists from across the region and diaspora around the world, and published our key statistical findings in a report titled, "Grounded in tradition, looking to the future: Understanding next-generation philanthropy in the Middle East."

We learned that human rights are one of the least funded giving sectors across our cohort of next-generation philanthropists. Only 14 percent make it a priority to give in this space. Why are next-generation leaders not giving their full support to the universal rights of communities and endangered societies in our region? How can communities unlock the support of next-generation philanthropists?

Sinjar cemetery — This cemetery in Hirdan village in Sinjar, Iraq, was built for the men of the village who were executed and martyred by Da’esh. Following the recovery of their remains, they were returned to the same... Photo Courtesy of Fared Baram

While statistics cannot fully answer this question, there are some important insights that do paint an early picture for further investigation. We found that a significant portion of our group does invest in women and girls (41 percent) and youth and children (45 percent). By testing empowerment as a moral principle when giving, we found it scored as the second (mean of 6.3 on a scale of 1 to 7) most important principle after integrity (mean of 6.8 on a scale of 1 to 7). This means that the propensity to empower groups, including those often excluded from funding, is in fact a priority.

Heritage buildings in Lebanon remain largely neglected since the Beirut explosion. While some buildings have been able to commence reconstruction, many, including government buildings, have no funding. PHOTO COURTESY OF MEGHRY TOPOUSHIAN/ZOVIGHIAN PUBLIC OFFICE

Furthermore, we learned that community impact (mean of 6.5 on a scale of 1 to 7) and social change (mean of 6.3 on a scale of 1 to 7) are the two most important giving motivations. Giving principles, like compassion (mean of 6.2 on a scale of 1 to 7) and equity (mean of 6.1 on a scale of 1 to 7) are deeply valued. All this means that next-generation philanthropy in the Middle East has yet to be fully activated, and until then, not many next-generation givers will be on the frontlines on high-stake causes like human rights.

Sinjar city — In the old city in Sinjar, one of the most intense battles took place during the liberation from Da’esh forces. The entire area was destroyed and has not been rehabilitated since due to sectarian tension. Photo Courtesy of Fared Baram

If next-generation philanthropists do not step up for human rights, we will continue to leave communities to defend for themselves. But what this unique data teaches me is that many philanthropists have what it takes to make human rights their cause to fight. I can only imagine what activated and fully charged next-generation leaders would mean for our region's communities and causes. However, communities cannot wait any longer for that moral compass to turn in their favor. Next-generation givers need to join our communities so that we may start counting the days toward victories and no longer the many more years of failed humanity.

Lynn Zovighian is a philanthropist and founder of the Zovighian Public Office, partnering with communities facing genocide and crises in the Middle East and Caucasus through research, advocacy, and diplomacy. She is also co-founder of Zovighian Partnership.

The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.