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Razan Al Mubarak has been with Emirates Wildlife Society – World Wild Fund for Nature (EWS-WWF) since its inception in 2001, establishing the local EWS office and its partnership with WWF, and is currently its Managing Director. In 2011, she also took up the position as Secretary-General of the Environment Agency — Abu Dhabi. Razan holds a MSc in Public Understanding of Environmental Change from the University College London and a BA in Environmental Studies and International Relations from Tufts University. Razan is a board advisor to the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation, a board member to the African Wildlife Foundation, the managing director of the Mohamed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, and advisory council member for TAWTEEN — a federal initiative that aims to promote the employment of UAE citizens in the private sector.
This article outlines the important role that can be played by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in helping to tackle environmental issues in the Middle East. Using the work of the Emirates Wildlife Society in association with the World Wild Fund for Nature (EWS-WWF) as an example, the article explores the challenges facing NGOs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and recommends ways in which these obstacles can be overcome.
