Civil Society and Media Development
Through USAID's Iraq Civil Society and Independent Media Program, civil society organizations (CSOs) have promoted an informed, sustainable, and active Iraqi civil society and an independent media - key components of a prosperous and democratic Iraq- through focused training and technical assistance to media groups and CSOs. With USAID's help, Iraq now boasts over 125 different media outlets. The program's efforts in voter education, community dialogues, and constitutional development helped expand public awareness and participation in the January election and October constitutional referendum.
The USAID strategy for civil society development in Iraq supports the establishment of an informed, sustainable, and active Iraqi civil society that effectively and responsibly participates within a democratic system of governance. Since 2004, the Iraq Civil Society and Independent Media Program (ICSP) has worked with civil society groups throughout Iraq, helping build local capacity to advance civic education, women's advocacy, anti-corruption, and human rights.
CIVIL SOCIETY
The civil society component focuses on establishing civil society resources centers and building the capacity of Iraqi civil society organizations to be effective public actors. Special targeted assistance for work in civic education, women's advocacy, anticorruption, and human rights.
MEDIA DEVELOPMENT
The independent media support component strengthens Iraq's emerging commercial media and emphasizes independent news and public affairs reporting capacities. It builds up media capacity throughout the country that provides quality balanced information in response to public needs while also seeking to establish a legal, regulatory and policy environment that supports an independent media.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Civil Society Resources Centers
Four Regional Civil Society Resource Centers (Erbil, Baghdad, Hillah, and Basrah) have been established to provide services for civil society development in all 18 governorates. These Iraqi-staffed Centers provide training, technical assistance and grants designed to develop the capacity of civil society organizations. The Centers serve as hubs for CSO activities and resources for CSO information and services. The Centers have conducted 1,144 training workshops followed by technical assistance to develop CSO core capacities. Also, the Centers linked CSOs together for joint action and advocacy through 275 Forums and 30 National and Regional Conferences.
- 3,000 CSOs have received training and technical assistance
- 43,000 CSO participants have increased their knowledge, skills and operations; and
- 6,000 Government officials have been trained and/or have been participated in workshops, forums, and conferences.
Anti-corruption
ICSP develops the capacity of Iraqi CSOs to combat corruption, with particular focus on corruption in public institutions.
- CSOs supported by ICSP were successful in getting 13 Anti-Corruption Provisions included in the Iraqi Constitution;
- CSOs have provided training to 8,000 government officials at the national, regional, and local levels as well as technical assistance in transparency and accountability, fiscal responsibility, access to information, whistleblower protections, among other areas;
- An estimated 1 million Iraqis have been reached through a national anti-corruption campaign.
Women's Advocacy
Iraqi civil society organizations working to advance women's legal, economic, social and political rights have been strengthened.
- CSO advocacy for women's rights resulted in the adoption of 12 constitutional provisions, including an electoral quota of 25% of seats reserved for women on the Council of Representatives.;
- Through training and technical assistance, more than 600 CSOs have increased their capacity to take action that contributes to the advancement of women;
- Through the organization of forums, regional and national conferences women's CSOs have been brought together to network, organize coalitions and develop advocacy campaigns for gender equality, political participation and rights protection.
Human Rights
Iraqi human rights organizations have been supported in developing their capacities for human rights education, monitoring, documentation and reporting.
- Significant inroads in improving respect for human rights as been achieved through the training and technical assistance provided to 4,000 CSO and government officials;
- Many CSOs have improved their abilities to monitor and report on human rights abuses, including poor conditions of detention centers and unlawful detainment;
- CSOs have developed partnerships with police departments, human rights departments and other government agencies to provide for observance and protection of human rights.
Civic Education
Civic education activities increase understanding of rights and responsibilities and citizen participation in decision making processes including holding government accountable
- CSOs mobilized citizens to participate in Iraq's electoral processes and processes in the drafting of the Constitution;
- Hundreds of CSOs have been mobilized to participate in regional and national conferences to advocate for a new NGO law impacting Iraq civil society development;
- Campaigns to reform inadequate laws affecting women.
Independent Media
ICSP is the only substantial supporter of in-country training, technical assistance, and funding to the independent media sector in Iraq. It has:
- Helped establish and builds the capacity of the first independent news agency (the National Iraqi News Agency - NINA) and the first independent Public Broadcasting Service (Iraqis for Public Broadcasting) in the Arab world;
- Increased the knowledge and skills of over 1,000 journalists and media professionals;
- Established an Iraqi media watchdog group
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