The workshop was held in Erbil from April 28 to May 1, 2026, with the participation of 16 trainees from eight governorates: Baghdad, Kirkuk, Najaf, Anbar, Basra, Nasiriyah, Erbil, and Sulaymaniyah.

The workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ capacities in writing social research using a human-centered approach that focuses on understanding people’s experiences and needs, as well as analyzing the social and economic factors affecting their lives in order to produce research that is closely connected to reality

The training included a comprehensive explanation of the steps and components of qualitative human-centered research writing, in addition to intensive practical writing exercises. These activities helped participants develop diverse qualitative social research projects with a strong humanitarian perspective. The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Ilham Makki, who delivered rich and engaging training content that contributed significantly to enhancing participants’ research skills and capacities.

The workshop concluded with each participant presenting an initial research proposal before the group, followed by detailed feedback focused on improving the quality of writing and the accuracy of the content. Participants expressed their satisfaction with the workshop and highlighted the valuable knowledge and skills they gained throughout the training.

These initiatives were the result of the work of activists from the targeted governorates, following their participation in intensive training on writing and designing creative initiatives. They also learned to use artistic and expressive tools such as art, drawing, theater, and music to communicate community issues in innovative and relatable ways. The training and the implementation of these initiatives and campaigns contributed to enhancing the performance of volunteer teams and partner organizations, as part of Al-Amal Association’s strategy to develop and build the capacities of its partners.

The initiatives focused primarily on issues of pollution and climate change, along with other issues such as cyber extortion and social inclusion. Creative methods were employed to transform these issues into clear awareness messages that could be discussed and engaged with. This contributed to strengthening relationships with local communities and developing communication around shared priorities, which in turn improved community engagement with local governments on issues that affect their daily lives.

The four awareness campaigns varied in their content, ranging from those focusing on elections and civic participation to others addressing diverse social issues, including those related to western Anbar in Rawah through the Fourth Forum of the People of the West, in addition to the “Voice” campaign in cooperation with Platform 21.

The conclusion of the project’s activities for 2025 reflects the importance of community work based on participation and creativity, and the role of youth in promoting awareness of democratic and social issues.

The session saw broad participation from representatives of civil society organizations from various governorates. The draft policy paper, based on the findings of previous reports and real-world field experiences, was reviewed, and the institutional, legislative, and procedural challenges hindering civil society’s participation in implementing the National Plan were discussed.

The discussion focused on the coordination gap with government entities, limited access to information, and the absence of clear institutional frameworks for partnership. Participants also emphasized the importance of transforming civil society’s role from a limited advisory one to a genuine partnership in planning, implementation, and monitoring. Furthermore, they contributed to reviewing and developing the policy recommendations to make them more realistic and applicable.

“The real challenge isn’t just participating in the discussion; the challenge is ensuring our participation extends to the decision-making and implementation phases, not just ends with recommendations.” — Karrar Falah (Edmaj Organization)

This session is a crucial step towards finalizing the policy paper, which will be shared with government entities and decision-makers to support the human rights process and build partnerships based on trust, integration, and joint action.

The Iraqi Al-Amal Association concluded the workshop entitled
“Designing the National Human Rights Action Plan for 2026–2030 in Light of International Recommendations,” implemented as part of the project Enhancing Partnership between Government Institutions and Civil Society in the Field of Human Rights.

The workshop was organized in cooperation with the Iraqi Ministry of Justice – Human Rights Directorate, with the active participation of heads and representatives of human rights units from a number of ministries and sectoral institutions, including the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Environment, in addition to the Supreme Judicial Council. Representatives of Iraqi civil society organizations also contributed substantively to the discussions.

The workshop was conducted with the support of experts in public policy and strategic planning, and adopted a participatory and interactive approach aimed at aligning governmental efforts with the expertise and practical experience of civil society actors in the field of human rights. Discussions focused on analyzing and translating international recommendations issued through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), alongside other international treaty obligations, into clear objectives, policies, and practical programs to be incorporated into the National Human Rights Action Plan for 2026–2030

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants emphasized the importance of strengthening sustainable partnership between state institutions and civil society organizations throughout the stages of drafting, implementation, and follow-up of the national plan, as a key step toward reinforcing the rule of law and enhancing the protection of human rights in Iraq.

The two sides discussed avenues for joint cooperation between the Commission and civil society organizations with consultative status at the United Nations, and ways to strengthen mutual efforts in protecting human rights.

During the meeting, the Advisor to the Commission indicated the role of civil society in showcasing the positive aspects of institutional and national efforts in Iraq to the international community, and in leveraging available support for capacity-building programs for government employees and human rights defenders in the relevant fields.

He indicated that the High Commissioner for Human Rights views civil society organizations as essential partners and complements its work in fulfilling its mandate to protect and promote human rights within the national framework.

The session highlighted the project’s results by listening to testimonials from attendees about the direct impact of the project on the beneficiaries, in cooperation with partner government agencies and local implementing organizations.

At the end of the session, attendees presented their recommendations and needs for the future, calling for increased local and international support and cooperation.

The project is implemented in partnership between the Al-Amal Association and the Dutch organization PAX.

Each workshop lasted two days and involved 49 young activists and volunteers, supervised by trainers previously trained within the project. This step aimed to transfer expertise and foster a spirit of entrepreneurship among young people.

These workshops provided an interactive space to develop participants’ capacities in formulating and implementing cultural and community initiatives that promote the concepts of democracy, equality, and human rights. They also broadened their horizons regarding community advocacy tools and how to identify priority issues and address them with innovative approaches.

Through interactive discussions and practical applications, participants learned about the importance of using art as a means of expression and change, and how creative initiatives can be an effective tool for raising community awareness and promoting civic engagement.

These trainings are a prelude to the launch of twenty community initiatives implemented by youth with support from the Al-Amal Association. These initiatives embody the values ​​of democracy and diversity and encourage cooperation between government institutions and civil society to ensure a sustainable positive impact in their communities.

As part of the Democracy Promotion in Iraq project, with support from Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), four distinct dialogue sessions were held in the governorates of Anbar, Najaf, and Kirkuk. These sessions constituted an important practical step following the training on writing position papers.

These sessions provided a real space for young men and women to present their ideas and discuss various pressing issues, from the return of displaced persons and the challenges they face in Anbar, to the pollution of the Euphrates River and the accumulation of waste in Najaf, to the groundwater crisis in Kirkuk, to the opportunities of artificial intelligence in reducing youth unemployment, and to the struggle of female students with disabilities to assert their right to an inclusive university environment. The papers were transformed from written texts into rich, lively dialogues that engaged decision-makers, representatives of government institutions, civil society, and the media.

These meetings resulted in a set of important recommendations emphasizing the need to enhance coordination between official bodies and civil society, develop national plans to address pollution and environmental crises, adopt realistic initiatives to support displaced persons and people with disabilities, and explore modern solutions such as technology and artificial intelligence to address development challenges. The experience of dialogue based on solid position papers constitutes an effective tool for promoting community debate and influencing decision-making.

The deadline for submitting bids is noon on Thursday, September 11.

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