N EW SLETTER Issue 3 Date: May 23, 2018 ABOUT SANAD IN THIS ISSUE Q1 SUMMARY Sanad for Peacebuilding is a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization, established in 2013 with support from the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). Sanad works to build and strengthen peace, democracy and human rights in Iraq through dialoguedriven interventions which support local reconciliation, countering violent extremism, IDP returns, support for the rule of law, and other key issues in areas such as Anbar, Diyala, Kirkuk, Ninewa, and Saladin. Sanad is governed by an independent board of directors, comprised of members with professional backgrounds in peacebuilding, civil society, rule of law, human rights, media, academia, and government, who reflect the diversity of Iraq?s communities. Sanad additionally provides support and technical expertise to civil society networks, particularly the Network of Iraqi Facilitators (NIF), and the Alliance of Iraqi Minorities (AIM). About Sanad About Sanad's Net works Quart er 1 Summary Sanad in the Media 2018 NIF Annual Conference Empowering Women and Youth Voices in Beiji Representing Iraqi Civil Society at the Kuwait Conference Establishing Community Peace in Yathrib Laying the Foundation for Peaceful Coexist ence in Anbar Women Peacebuilders Address Tribal Conflict s NIF Member Init iat ives SANAD IN THE MEDIA From January through March 31, 2018, Sanad held 12 activities for Sanad's programming reaching a total of 294 stakeholders from a diverse set of backgrounds including tribal leaders, security actors, local government officials, academics, activists, civil society representatives, central government officials, religious leaders, and media actors. Iraq: Announcement of Peaceful Coexistence and Stabilization Agreement in Yathrib ReliefWeb Baghdad Must Seize the Chance to Work with Iraq's Tribes War on the Rocks To Stabilize Iraq after ISIS, Help Iraqis Reconcile ReliefWeb ABOUT SANAD'S NETW ORKS The Network of Iraqi Facilitators (NIF) is a group of Iraqi individuals trained and experienced in the prevention of conflicts and finding peaceful solutions to disputes. Since 2004, NIF members have been instrumental in facilitating dialogue and mediating among parties of disputes and violent conflict. Their efforts have reduced violence, reestablished peace, and enhanced collaborative relations at the provincial levels all over Iraq, including during the peak of violence in areas like Baghdad, Diyala, and Anbar. The Alliance of Iraqi Minorities (AIM) is comprised of individuals and organizations representing Iraq?s diverse communities: Christians, Shabak, SabianMandaean, Kaka?i, Baha?is, Faili Kurds, Eyzidi and nonminorities. AIM works to build bridges between minority communities and between the minorities and larger Iraqi communities and to promote minority rights and interests at the local, provincial and national levels. Find Out More: Sanadiq.org info@sanadiq.org @Sanadirq facebook.com/ Sanadirq
EMPOW ERING W OMEN AND YOUTH VOICES IN BEIJI 2018 NIF ANNUAL CONFERENCE On February 12, 2018, Sanad held a dialogue session with key women actors from Beiji, a district in Saladin Governorate. The activity falls under Sanad's Programming and Analysis of Conflict Fragility and Social Dynamics in Saladin and Diyala project supported by UNDP, which aims to mitigate existing and prevent future conflicts in both Diyala and Saladin. This activity played a critical role in understanding the complex and dynamic context in Beiji and in developing concrete mechanisms to address some of the areas most salient issues. At the session, the participants discussed the current context in Beiji following the area's liberation from ISIS. The women additionally offered critical insights into the challenges faced by women in Beiji today and possible solutions and mechanisms to help mitigate these key issues. They further identified principles for the safe return of IDPs to the area. Next, on February 25, 2018, Sanad for Peacebuilding conducted a oneday dialogue session in Erbil with male and female youth activists from Baiji to highlight the concerns and challenges after liberation from ISIS as well as the role of youth supporting social cohesion in the community. The activity was conducted under the project Programming and Analysis of Conflict Fragility and Social Dynamics in Saladin and Diyala, which is supported by UNDP. This oneday dialogue session discussed critical social, administrative, economic, and security challenges as well mechanisms and solutions to address them. Participants highlighted the role of youth in raising awareness about social cohesion, forgiveness, unity, peace, integration, and coexistence and encouraging the role of organizations working in the field of social cohesion. They also emphasized the critical need to unify and moderate religious speech in support of coexistence and cohesion. From March 1 through 6, 21 members of the Network of Iraqi Facilitators joined the NIF annual conference in Istanbul, Turkey. The conference is convened annually to discuss the previous year's achievements and plan for the upcoming year. This year, additional items were added to the conference agenda, whereby, members revised membership criteria assuring better performance and better quality, established a recruitment mechanism for the new members, participated in comprehensive strategic thinking exercises and discussed the strategic direction of NIF for the coming three years. Training sessions flavored the conference with learning and knowledge exchange.?it was beyond expectation. This time the conference presented something new and outside of the routine with regards to the programming, with topics such as DDR, CVE, Transitional Justice. Even if we see these themes as complex responses to critical issues, it?s important to respond step by step.? Dr. Saieb Al Gilani, NIF.
REPRESENTING IRAQI CIVIL SOCIETY AT THE KUWAIT CONFERENCE At the Kuwait Conference for the Reconstruction of Iraq, held from February 12 through 14, Sanad was selected to present on behalf of Iraqi NGOs. This selection was endorsed by the NGOs directorate and the Reconstruction Fund for Areas Affected by Terrorist Operations. The presentation, delivered by Sanad's Executive Director Haider Al Ibrahimi, was made in collaboration with 24 Iraqi NGOs who attended the conference and highlighted the scale of problems affecting the status of peace and stability in Iraq. Key topics addressed in the presentation included armed conflict, displacement, liberation processes, and stability postreturn and postreconstruction. Discussion of the civil society sector focused on methodologies adopted by Iraqi organizations such as inclusive and collaborative approaches, directing the international support to effectively respond to the needs of the communities, and adopting local mechanisms which best fit with and respond to the Iraqi context. The presentation further focused on key priorities targeted by Iraqi NGOs including response to displaced communities, managing local conflicts which prevent the safe and voluntary return of IDPs, and improving local governance and Rule of Law. This was followed by key quantitative data which showed the level of response in key sectors including health, shelter, vulnerable groups (including women and youth), childcare, and peacebuilding. ESTABLISHING COMMUNITY PEACE IN YATHRIB On February 28, 2018, more than 39 community leaders from the Shia and Sunni tribes in the districts of Balad and Dujail joined a press conference to announce the Peaceful Coexistence and Stabilization Agreement in Yathrib, which aims to find the best approaches and mechanisms to enhance stabilization, peace, and justice in Yathrib. The agreement is the result of an outcomedriven dialogue intervention led and implemented by Sanad, with support from UNDP?s Iraq Crises Response and Resilience Program (ICRRP) and funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) with funds from the Austrian Development Cooperation. This initiative included a set of dialogues and consultation sessions with tribal leaders, the central government, and the local government of Saladin governorate and Balad and Dujail districts. The dialogues were implemented and managed by Sanad?s strategic partner, the Network of Iraqi Facilitators (NIF). As a result of the process, tribal leaders, representatives of the federal government, and local government officials in Saladin committed to supporting the principles, which include, among others, supporting security agencies and the rule of law, supporting victims and preventing retaliation and collective punishments, and ensuring the realization of sustainable social cohesion in the area. The agreement serves as a strong example of the importance and impact of collective and inclusive dialogue processes which address critical conflict drivers by employing the knowledge and input of actors from diverse sectors and backgrounds. The process implemented by Sanad encouraged actors to discuss core issues related to tribal laws and norms and resulted in agreed upon principles which will contribute to Yathrib's future stability and overall social cohesion. Finally, Sanad highlighted the challenges faced by NGOs and the critical need for the donor community to ensure their support is in accordance with scope of existing needs and problems.
LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE IN ANBAR On January 18, 2018, Sanad held the Anbar Central Conference for Peaceful Coexistence. The event covered the eight districts in Anbar Governorate with support from the National Reconciliation Committee at the Prime Minister's Office and the local government of Anbar. The aim of the event was to discuss and define a roadmap and scope of work for districtlevel Peaceful Coexistence Committee in Anbar to acheive sustainable peaceful coexistence throughout the governorate. The conference was attended by 138 tribal and community leaders from Anbar, local and federal government representatives, and representatives from the National Reconciliation Commission and is part of UNDP's Support for Integrated Reconciliation in Iraq. The conference followed a series of eight roundtables held throughout December with the participation of 475 community and tribal leaders in Ramadi; Falluja; Khalidiya; Garma; Heet; Hadeetha; Rutba; Aana, Rawa, and Qaeem to identify security, economic, and social issues preventing the return of IDPs and stabilization postreturn. The outputs of the dialogue sessions informed the priorities for discussion in the Central Conference. Throughout the conference, participants identified key security, administrative social, and economic challenges and priorities related to peaceful coexistence in Anbar. To tackle these issues, they further outlined a diverse set of solutions and recommendations for these challenge and defined the roles and responsibilities of the Local Peace Committees, the federal and local governments, and NGOs. While each of the eight districts in Anbar governorate has its own unique and specific challenges, the conference highlighted the need for security sector reforms, the rehabilitation of infrastructure and public services, support for the agrictultural sector, and support for vulnerable groups such as IDPs and women. W OM EN PEACEBUILDERS ADDRESS TRIBAL CONFLICTS Throughout early 2018, female NIF members effectively challenged ingrained negative stereotypes through their critical roles in facilitating dialogue in some of Iraq?s most entrenched conflicts. These women have demonstrated their immense capacity by traveling to complex and unstable regions of the country, such as the recently liberated areas, to intervene in largely maledominated environments, particularly those heavily influenced by tribal dynamics. Female NIF members played a critical role in facilitating dialogue in Sanad's programs in Anbar and in Yathrib, Saladin.?It is motivational to see my colleagues all cooperating together, both male and female. It gives me inspiration that there is no elimination of women?s role in contributing to leading such a huge conference. We are here to lead a mission. Our roles are clear and there are no differences here.? Nawal al Karawi, NIF member speaking about the January Anbar conference.
NIF M EM BER INITIATIVES Thissection includesupdatesabout NIF members' initiatives, activities, published works, and event participation during January through March 2018. Abdulaziz Jarba facilitated community based dialogues which included key community leaders from Mosul to discuss the challenges and needs of the community and the best stabilization processes for the future of Mosul. The dialogues were held under the project?building Resilience in Iraq?which is funded by the Norwegian People?s Aid and implemented by Al Tahreer organization. Abdulaziz Jarba is the head of Al Tahreer. On March 5, Abdulsalam Medeni delivered a lecture for Coca Cola event called "One Team Summit" held at Divan Hotel in Erbil. The lecture, titled "Team Building and Group Dynamics," was delivered to Coca Cola senior staff with the aim of supporting the numerous business sectors in Kurdistan in order to improve local job opportunities and support youth. Abdulsalam Medeni delivered the lecture as part of his role as the Chief Executive Director of Rwanga Foundation. Dr. Hisham alhashimi cowrote an article for Foreign Policy magazine, titled "ISIS Inc." which discussed the Islamic State's exploitation of structural economic problems afflicting Iraq. The article discusses ISIS's use of the black market to fund its insurgency as well as other ventures into legitimizing business practices. Khut her Domili led the facilitation of two dialogues, in Erbil on March 19 and in Mosul on April 7, to identify the priorities for achieving stabilization in Mosul. The dialogues were held in coordination with Al Tahreer and focused on challenges facing communities in Rabia and Qayarah through two analysis sessions. Support for the dialogues came from Norwegian People's Aid and participants included community leaders, activists, local council members, and NGO staff. At the end dialogues, the participants finalized a set of recommendations and working mechanisms. Dr. Maha Al Sakban and her organization, the Women Human Rights Center, led an advocacy campaign to alleviate hostile attitudes towards minorities in Diwaniya and enhance tolerance and peaceful coexistence processes among all Iraqi components in the governorate. This project is supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Minority Rights Group International. At the University of Basra, February 27, Dr. Manaf Al Kat an facilitated a meeting for a group of students at the college, entitled?with Youth We can Build Our Country?. The discussion focused on ways to empower the confidence of youth and to design an advocacy campaign for youth hiring in government positions. The activity was sponsored by the Basra College of Administration and Economics. From March 1 through 3 at the Hilton Hotel in Vienna, Austria, Dr. Mesrour Aswad participated in the fifth annual Interreligious Dialogue for Peace conference organized in a series of meetings and workshops at a conference organized by KAICIID and the Spanish and Austrian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and a number of international donors. The conference was attended by over 250 religious leaders and leaders in the fields of peacebuilding and interfaith dialogue. From March 8 through 10, Nawal Al Karaawi facilitated three dialogues in Najaf, Babel, and Al Qadisiyah to understand the issues and needs of the communities related to reconciliation with the participation of academics, tribal leaders, activists, students, retirees, and workers. The dialogues were supported by UNDP and Stars Orbit, which is a privately held consulting firm uniquely specialized in the Monitoring and Evaluation of postconflict reconstruction and humanitarian assistance projects. Find Out More: Sanadiq.org info@sanadiq.org @Sanadirq facebook.com/ Sanadirq