Aida Al-Kaisy

Media Development Consultant & Academic Staff, SOAS

Aida Al-Kaisy is a Media Reform Advisor and has worked extensively on media development projects across the MENA region including in Iraq, Palestine and Jordan. She is currently working on a number of projects, focusing on issues related to youth engagement in media, media in conflict, social cohesion and the media and the development of independent media platforms in MENA, amongst other things. 

Aida completed a PhD at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, where she also teaches on a part-time basis, on media in conflict, using Iraq as a case study. Aida is also the programme consultant for the Ethical Journalism Network and a keen promoter of ethical values in journalistic practice and media governance.

As a consultant for a number of international NGOs and inter-governmental organisations in areas related to media development, reform and strategic communications, Aida’s work covers researching and writing policy reports and papers on media related issues in the MENA region, delivering strategic insight and developing work plans on behalf of media organisations and official institutions, and developing proposals and bid-writing on behalf of media development organisations active in MENA

Project highlights include:

  • Consulting for Canal France International Tasalah (Iraq Media). Aida leads the development of a concept, programme and agenda for a series of events relating to social cohesion in post-ISIS Iraq, providing advice and expertise on the current political and social context in Iraq as well as coordinating youth orientated CSOs, bloggers, activists and journalists working in the Mosul and Nineveh region with official bodies and Iraqi institutions.

  • Consulting on Giving citizens voice in Morocco and Tunisia, on behalf of the OECD. The project aimed to improve institutional communication in order to support the open government principles of transparency, participation and accountability. It supported institutional communication of the government through policy advice, capacity building and dialogue. 

  • Consulting as a Media Expert with UNDP Lebanon, researching and writing a Policy Paper on Media and Social Cohesion in the MENA region and Media Training Manual to help journalists contribute to enhancing tolerance, diversity and social cohesion in the region.