Building inclusive engagement in Iraq

Context

Iraq grapples with pressing challenges across its socio-political and economic spheres, worsened by economic mismanagement, political fragmentation, corruption, climate change, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The unrest that erupted in October 2019, fuelled largely by youth discontent, underscores the urgent need for reform. Demands include ending corruption and abuses of power, improving access to basic services, reducing social inequality, and enhancing future prospects.

In response, the government has outlined comprehensive reforms in the National Development Plan and Iraqi Vision 2030. However, progress in implementation has been slow, hampered by deep political divisions, inadequate dialogue between civil society and government officials, and ineffective collaboration mechanisms. Consequently, substantive and inclusive agreements on necessary reforms remain scarce.

Objective

Inclusive dialogue and participation mechanisms have been tested for the development of Iraq-wide reform proposals.

Approach

The project adopts an inclusive approach by bringing together the government, civil society, and academia at both local and national scopes, with a focus on involving women and youth.

Key measures include:

• Initiating dialogue sessions involving government officials, stakeholders from civil society, and research, at both national and local scopes.
• Facilitating interaction between citizens and the government through skill-building workshops and training sessions on dialogue, communication, and participation for both governmental institutions and civil society organisations.
• Sharing lessons and experiences from other countries and projects to foster knowledge exchange and networking, assisting stakeholders in defining nationwide framework conditions for dialogue and participation.

Last stand: April 2024