Tahreer Araj  from Palestine, is the first recipient of the Accad Award. She is a PhD student in Human and Community Development.  She received a Master’s in Gender and Development from Birzeit University and has worked for a considerable time with Palestinian development organizations.  She worked with Prof. Stephen Gasteyer on research in the Palestinian territories on community capacity to manage water resources.  Her current work focuses on gender development in the context of the relationship between Palestinian NGOs, community development and political/ideological formation at the community level.