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Who will be attending the conference?

  • – 150+ Delegates from Civil Society Organisations, Community Bodies and Relief & Development Representatives
  • – Public and Private Sector Representatives
  • – Researchers and Professors
  • – Community Volunteers
  • – Donor Representatives
  • – International NGOs
  • – Prominent Speakers (TBC)

About the Conference

 challenges of delivering humanitarian aid and supporting local communities in countries such as Iraq are well-known — high security risks, restricted access areas, multi-layered governance and a complex local environment to name but a few. Yet the need to assist vulnerable individuals and engaging Iraq’s community-based organisations remains high, ever-present and of exceptional significance at the present moment.
Hosted by the Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS), the Conference aims to put “Communities in Action” by bringing Iraq’s Civil Society organisations together in seizing the opportunity to build resilient communities that have access to basic services and amenities and have a chance to live in security and dignity.

With the Government of Iraq investing in substantial reconstruction efforts and the UN launching their Reconstruction Framework after decades of conflict, the time is now to mobilise our resources into producing distinctive results. Through this conference, we aim to bring local, national, regional and international actors of Iraq’s Civil Society bodies together to deliberate over strategic action plans on moving forwards.
The objectives of the Conference are to identify and discuss our strengths and limitations and how we may overcome such obstacles, ways in which we can coordinate our work with other organisations to enhance the effectiveness of reaching our goals, as well as collaborating seamlessly for future projects. These objectives will be encapsulated within six crucial thematic areas focusing primarily on humanitarian needs and priorities of the reconstruction project, ranging from primary healthcare to youth empowerment. 

Conference Program

Iraqi Civil Society and Humanitarian Needs and Priorities/Reconstruction Efforts:

Strengths

IRCS Iraq Civil Society mapping exercise of what organizations work where, in what sectors?

i.e. Access and untapped potential

Areas to Focus On

What does Iraq Civil Society lack? financial resources, training, M&E expertise, long term planning

Coordination

What are the effective ways for the Iraq Civil Society to coordinate with each other, government, INGOs, communities, universities

Humanitarian needs and priorities

What are the sector priorities and approaches that need coordinating?

  • – Public and Primary Healthcare, Mental and Psychosocial Health
  • – Primary Education
  • – Livelihoods and Food Security
  • – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
  • – Shelter and Essential Infrastructure
  • – Youth Empowerment
 

What Will You Get Out of The Conference?

  • – Networking opportunities with, and inspiration from, local and national humanitarian leaders, practitioners and partners
  • – Opportunities to create and strengthen relationships with those committed to moving the Building Better Communities in Iraq agenda forward through:
    • — Sharing plans for strategic and geographic areas of priority targets
    • — Collaboration and compiling high-level programme plans
    • — Building joint contingency plans for the future in case of rapid needs response
    • — Identifying technical areas in which Iraqi Civil Society and organisations can jointly organize and participate in various training programmes and capacity building tools
  • – Strategies and best practices for Iraqi organisational sustainability and effective programs
  • – Articulate Iraq’s community-centered Relief & Development needs and priorities

Why Should You Attend?

Your organization has played a critical role in building stronger communities in Iraq. We believe that through collaboration and coordination, and combination of our strengths, we will be better equipped to support the most vulnerable and lay the foundations for strong and resilient communities. We look forward to having you join us take on that challenge.

About the Organizing Committee

The Venue

Al Mansour Hotel

The Al Mansour Hotel (Arabic,فندق المنصور) is situated in the coastside of the Tigris river in the middle of Baghdad city. It was built in 1980, as part of the Spanish Melia hotel chain In 2007..