Enrol Now in Our Free E-Course: Social Policy and Conflict Prevention in the MENA Region

Course starts on October 6th, 2025.

We’re excited to announce that online enrolment is now open for our new, free e-course, “Social policy and conflict prevention in the MENA region“, developed by the University of Birmingham, the University of Bath and our network of UK and international partners.

Hosted on the FutureLearn platform, the course will help you explore the link between conflict prevention and social protection, with a specific focus on the Middle East and North Africa.

A Decade in Review: Marking 10 Years of MENASP Network Achievements

The MENASP Network began in 2012 with modest means and a simple ambition: to build an epistemic community around social policy in the MENA region. What followed was a collective effort driven by genuine commitment, rigorous research and a shared vision for justice and inclusion.

We invite you to read the Decennial Review and take pride in what we have achieved together – not just as a network, but as a community committed to meaningful change.

Bringing together policy makers and academics to advance social policy in the MENA region

The MENASP network was founded to advance, exchange and disseminate knowledge and policy expertise about social policy in the MENA region.

This includes providing: up-to-date policy analysis on the key social challenges facing the region; information on social welfare issues for use by the wider public; and resources for policy-makers, practitioners and academics.

The network aims to support quality research on crucial social policy issues and bridging the gap between policy-makers, researchers and the wider public.

MENASP Early Career Researchers

The MENASP’s Early Career Researchers (ECR) initiative works toward providing more exposure to researchers and academics who are in the early stages of their research career path. Championed by our ECR Representatives, the initiative aims to organise a series of mentoring sessions and webinars with the aim to contribute to enhancing the professional development of early-career researchers who are researching social policies in the MENA region. Join us!

MENASP Network Webinar Series

The MENASP Network Webinar Series is a monthly virtual webinar (the last Wednesday lunchtime of each month) that acts as a platform for speakers from within the network and external leading thinkers to present their research.

The MENASP Network Webinar Series aims to enable Network members and wider audiences to access new and ground-breaking research on social policy and conflict prevention.

Policy Labs

In 2019 the MENA Social Policy Network ran a Policy Lab in Cairo, bringing together policy-makers, researchers and practitioners from the field of social policy. Each roundtable of the Policy Lab focused on a different area of policy, from cash-transfer programs to the influence of gender in macro-economic policy design.