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DEMOCRACY FOR THE ARAB WORLD NOW INC
BROOKLYN, NY · EIN 824378001 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE Q05 · International Affairs · Medium ($1M-$10M) · dawnmena.org
revenue
$1.9M
expenses
$1.3M
net assets
$226K
employees
13
volunteers
8
program ratio
78%
mission · from form 990

TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA REGION.

profile · synthesized from sources

Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) is a nonprofit organization founded to promote democracy and human rights in the Middle East and North Africa. It engages in legal advocacy, public education, and policy analysis, with a focus on holding authoritarian regimes accountable. The organization was founded by the late journalist Jamal Khashoggi and continues to advocate for justice in his murder and broader regional reforms.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Global Sumud Flotilla Advocacy
Supports and publicizes international flotilla missions to challenge the Israeli blockade of Gaza and raise awareness of Palestinian humanitarian conditions
Legal Accountability Initiative
Files lawsuits to seek justice for human rights violations, including the case against Mohammed Bin Salman for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi under the Alien Tort Statute and Torture Victim Protection Act
Policy and Public Advocacy
Produces reports and public commentary to expose human rights abuses and advocate for democratic reforms in the MENA region
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Conflict and Geopolitical Research Analysis 1 activity
    • Foreign policy analysis on U.S. impact in the MENA region
      Produces foreign policy analysis on political developments in the Middle East and North Africa, focusing on how U.S. policies affect democracy, human rights, and national interests. Content is authored by regional experts and contributors.
  • Research and Scholarly Fellowship Support 1 activity
    • Non-resident fellowship program for regional experts
      Hosts a non-resident fellowship program that supports activists, scholars, journalists, and policy experts in publishing analysis on democracy and human rights in the Arab world.
  • Geopolitical Media Analysis and Reporting 1 activity
    • Operating Democracy in Exile online journal platform
      Operates an online journal called Democracy in Exile that provides a platform for democracy activists, analysts, exiles, and journalists from the MENA region to publish analysis and commentary accessible to policymakers and international experts.
  • Human Rights Advocacy & Accountability 1 activity
    • Public advocacy and coalition-building on democracy and human rights issues
      Engages in sustained public advocacy for democratic reforms in Arab countries, co-hosts webinars and convenes meetings with policymakers and civil society organizations to discuss peace, democracy, and repression. Participates in coalitions calling for policy changes, such as rescinding sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • Human Rights Advocacy and Public Education 1 activity
    • Research on anti-democratic practices and human rights violations in MENA
      Conducts research to uncover anti-democratic practices, document human rights abuses, and investigate U.S.-based lobbyists who support repressive governments in the Middle East and North Africa. Publishes findings using primary and secondary sources, including detailed case files on unjust prosecutions and detentions, with information from detainees, legal representatives, and third-party sources.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Advocacy for U.S. legislative reforms on arms sales and foreign lobbying
      Advocates for legislation to restrict arms transfers to abusive MENA governments, limit access of foreign government lobbyists to U.S. policymakers, and prevent former U.S. officials from representing foreign governments. Maintains a "Lobbyist Hall of Shame" to expose U.S. lobbyists representing repressive regimes.
    • Advocacy for accountability of human rights violators and authoritarian regimes
      Advocates for sanctions and legal accountability for human rights abusers in the MENA region, particularly those supported by the U.S. Engages in public criticism of anti-democratic policies, files legal complaints (including under the Leahy Law), and litigates cases such as the lawsuit against Mohammed Bin Salman and Saudi officials for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.95M
Contributions & grants$1.78M91%
Program service revenue$153K8%
Investment income$14K1%
Other revenue$4K
expenses
Total expenses$1.31M
Program expenses78%
Admin / overhead18%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$1.06M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$492K
Cash$491K
Investments$0
Liabilities$266K
Net assets$226K
Liquid reserves4.5 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +98.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 3
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
SARAH L WHITSON EXEC. DIR./SECRETARY 70 $227K
OMID MEMARIAN DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION 40 $127K
RAED M JARRAR ADVOCACY DIRECTOR 40 $125K
board members · 8
  • ANAS ANDY SHALLAL — BOARD MEMBER
  • LOUIS BICKFORD — BOARD MEMBER
  • MICHELE ALEXANDER — TREASURER
  • MONGI DHAOUADI — BOARD MEMBER
  • NIHAD AWAD — CHAIR
  • REED BRODY — BOARD MEMBER
  • SAHAR AZIZ — BOARD MEMBER
  • TAWAKKOL KARMAN — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 30

Who they work with

  • Action Corps Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • American Friends Service Committee Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • Brooklyn For Peace Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • Center for Responsible Economic Power (C-REP) Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • Defending Rights & Dissent Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • Democracy in Exile Network — Online publishing platform operated by DAWN to amplify voices of democracy activists and analysts from the MENA region.
  • Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • Global Sanctions Coalition (GSC) Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • Global Sumud Flotilla Partner — Co-organized and participated in the 2026 Gaza flotilla mission to challenge the blockade and deliver humanitarian aid.
  • Hatice Cengiz Partner — Co-plaintiff with DAWN in the federal lawsuit against Mohammed Bin Salman and other Saudi officials for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
  • Historians for Peace and Democracy (HPAD) Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • Hossam Hassan Partner — Outspoken coach of Egypt's national football team who publicly centered Palestine during the World Cup, aligning with DAWN's advocacy themes.
  • Jamal Khashoggi Coalition — Posthumously associated through endorsement of organizational mission; cited for vision of an independent Arab media forum.
  • Jamal Khashoggi Coalition — Posthumously associated with DAWN's mission through his public writings advocating for independent Arab media and reform.
  • Jamal Khashoggi Partner — Saudi journalist and dissident who founded DAWN in early 2018 to advance democracy and human rights in the Arab world.
  • Just Foreign Policy Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • Law Offices of Bruce Fein Partner — Legal partner representing plaintiffs in a lawsuit to enforce the Leahy Law regarding Israeli security forces.
  • Muslim Advocates Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • Muslim Justice League Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • National Lawyers Guild-Bay Area Chapter Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • Palestine Legal Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • Parenting is Political and Generation Common Good Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • Project Hajra Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • Project South Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
  • The New York Times Partner — Platform where founding voice Jamal Khashoggi published perspectives aligned with DAWN's mission.
  • The New York Times Partner — Published Jamal Khashoggi's commentary outlining the organization's mission and vision for democracy in the Arab world.
  • UN Special Rapporteur Partner — Engaged with the organization's advocacy efforts by issuing recommendations on justice and accountability related to Jamal Khashoggi's murder.
  • Uyghur Human Rights Project Partner — Co-hosted a virtual webinar in April 2023 on Middle Eastern autocrats' complicity in China's Uyghur repression.
  • Win Without War Partner — Coalition partner in issuing a joint statement calling for the rescission of sanctions on Gaza flotilla activists.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Advocacy-Driven Research for Accountability
    methodology: advocacy-driven_research
    By combining rigorous research with strategic advocacy, we expose human rights violations and anti-democratic practices by U.S.-supported governments in the MENA region to drive accountability, because evidence-based pressure increases the cost of complicity and shifts policy.
  • Legal and Institutional Accountability
    methodology: legal_accountability_for_state_crimes
    By pursuing legal accountability for state-sponsored abuses and reforming enabling institutions like lobbying laws, we reduce impunity and foreign authoritarian influence, because systemic change requires altering the legal and political structures that sustain complicity.
  • Transnational Coalition Advocacy
    methodology: transnational_coalition_building
    By building coalitions across diaspora and civil society networks, we amplify marginalized voices and sustain pressure on foreign policymakers, because transnational solidarity strengthens legitimacy and resilience of local democratic movements.
  • U.S. Policy Leverage for Regional Change
    methodology: U.S.-focused_policy_leverage
    By focusing research and advocacy on U.S. foreign policy and domestic accountability mechanisms, we influence U.S. support for authoritarian regimes, because leveraging American policy provides a strategic entry point to advance democracy and human rights in the MENA region.
  • Values-Based Democratic Reform
    methodology: values-based_democratic_advocacy
    By promoting a comprehensive model of democracy rooted in liberty, accountability, and justice, we counter authoritarian narratives and build support for systemic change, because a broad, principled vision of governance resonates more deeply with public aspirations than narrow procedural reforms.