Project on Middle East Democracy

The Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) was a non-profit, non-partisan organization based in Washington, D.C., dedicated to examining how genuine democracies can develop in the Middle East and how the United States can best support that process .

POMED was founded in 2006 and played a significant role in advocating for democratic reform and human rights in the region until its merger with the Freedom Initiative to form the Middle East Democracy Center (MEDC) in 2024 .

Focus on Islam and Islamic Countries

While POMED's work did not specifically focus solely on Islam or Islamic countries, it addressed broader issues of democracy and human rights across various countries in the Middle East, including those with significant Muslim populations. The organization recognized that promoting democratic values aligns with American interests by fostering strong relationships with people across these regions.

Key Activities

• Research and Advocacy: POMED conducted research into political reform processes within countries like Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. It advocated for U.S. policies supporting peaceful democratic reforms.
• Dialogue: Engaging policymakers through dialogue to promote understanding of authentic democracy development was central to its mission.
• Policy Analysis: Analyzing American policy impacts on regional democratization efforts helped guide advocacy strategies.

Iran

Iran is one of several countries where state-controlled political systems have been prevalent. While not specifically focused solely on Iran by POMED due to its full autocracy status as noted by similar studies2, discussions around promoting democracy often touch upon challenges faced by authoritarian regimes like Iran's.

Challenges

• Authoritarianism: Iran's government structure poses significant barriers to democratic reforms.
• Human Rights Concerns: Advocacy groups often highlight human rights abuses within such regimes.

Merger into MEDC

In 2024, POMED merged with the Freedom Initiative to form MEDC. This new entity continues efforts aimed at promoting democracy while focusing more broadly on freeing unjustly detained individuals and countering authoritarianism across MENA regions. MEDC also advocates for U.S. policies supporting these goals .

Goals

1. Freeing unjustly detained individuals.
2. Countering MENA authoritarian governments.
3. Advocating for democratic institutions within MENA regions.

This shift reflects an expanded scope but maintains core objectives related to democratization efforts initiated under POMED's framework.

Conclusion

The Project on Middle East Democracy played a crucial role in advocating for democratic reforms across various Muslim-majority nations before merging into MEDC. While not exclusively focused on Islam or specific Islamic states like Iran due to their governance structures at times being categorized as fully autocratic or less receptive to reform initiatives discussed by similar organizations, it contributed significantly towards broader discussions about democratization processes relevant throughout much of this region.