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Mesopotamian youth for democratic governance, social cohesion and reconciliation in Iraq
This 3-year project that started in March 2017 is funded by the European Union. Ten Iraqi and Kurdish Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) as well as several other associate groups will work as part of a network under the umbrella of the Italian human rights organization Un Ponte Per and Iraqi Civil Society Solidarity Initiative (ICSSI) to promotes democratic governance and social cohesion in Iraq by improving coordination and empowering direct action of youth within local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), to advance peace-building.
The project has three Specific Objectives: |
1) Supporting joint work by CSOs, including unions, in sectorial working groups led by youth, focusing on five human and environmental rights issues chosen to promote non-divisive ideas and overcome conflict (Waterkeepers Iraq will work with the Information Center and Humat Dijleh in Baghdad on the Working Group for Water rights and the protection of Mesopotamia's rivers). Other working groups will focus on:
Social justice and employment; Protection of IDPs and minorities; Media promoting tolerance and democracy, and Women’s participation in civil society and policy making.
2) Empowering youth leaders of CSOs to launch joint actions to promote democratic governance, by convening and facilitating twin coordination platforms: the Iraqi and the Kurdistan Social Forums;
3) Implementing recommendations emerging from the Social Forums that promote conflict sensitivity, through Councils for Social Cohesion to be established in at least 4 governorates, coordinated by CSOs but involving local authorities and local leaders.
Social justice and employment; Protection of IDPs and minorities; Media promoting tolerance and democracy, and Women’s participation in civil society and policy making.
2) Empowering youth leaders of CSOs to launch joint actions to promote democratic governance, by convening and facilitating twin coordination platforms: the Iraqi and the Kurdistan Social Forums;
3) Implementing recommendations emerging from the Social Forums that promote conflict sensitivity, through Councils for Social Cohesion to be established in at least 4 governorates, coordinated by CSOs but involving local authorities and local leaders.
Check out these recent activities by the Kurdistan Working Group on Water Rights
- Swimming 24 miles for clean water in Iraqi Kurdistan - Update on the long-distance swim and clean-up at Dukan Lake advocating for Swimmable, Fishable and Drinkable Waters (Waterkeeper Alliance Blog).
- Kurdistan Water Rights Group joins in Save the Tigris Campaign for International Day of Action to Protect Hasenkeyf - Working group members and organizations participated in an information booth in downtown Sulaimani to educate the public about the threat of dam projects in Turkey to the Tigris River and our shared ancient cultural heritage.
Clean-ups and other actions to protect RiversWe will conduct educational and awareness activities organized for people and youth in locations along Iraqi rivers, like cleaning days and rafting trips to appreciate the natural environment.
Through monthly newsletters, updates and local media we will promote issues like water conservation, recycling and stopping pollution. |
Assessing and building capacity to protect riversWe will assess existing environmental laws, problems related to their enforce- ment, and new laws required to protect rivers.
We will also conduct workshops with CSOs and government or local authorities to increase their awareness on environmental protection and encourage them to take practical steps in this direction. |
Expand the networkWe will reach out to other individuals and organization to find and recruit other advocates for rivers and water quality in Kurdistan and Iraq.
We hope many of these will choose to affiliate with us and become Waterkeepers for the rivers, streams and marshes in their own communities. |
Latest updates
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This project is funded by the European Union
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