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Human Rights Advocacy Initiative:
Small Grant Awardees
September 2009
During the month of September, IF awarded three human rights
organizations in Iraq small grants to bolster Iraqi human rights advocates
and strengthen the culture of civil and political liberties in Iraq!
IF received 20 small grants proposals in response to a request disseminated
in August. After IF reviewed the proposals, HRAI and IF Staff selected
3 to award. The winners were: The Akad Organization- Baghdad, The Humane
Organization for Human Rights- Kut, and the Himam Institution for Civil
Society Building, Basra. IF signed grant agreements with the awardees
and provided them with basic mentoring on IF's implementation and reporting
criteria and requirements. These organizations will receive $3,000 each
to implement projects related to human rights advocacy. The 3 selected
organizations will advocate for 1) The right to practice one's own religion,
2) preventing violence in schools, and 3) children's rights. To date,
IF has awarded 10 small grants as part of the HRAI project.
October 2009
IF small grants awardees -third round- started implementing their projects
during the months of October. IF monitored project implementation through
field visits in the provinces of Basra, Baghdad and Kut.
The Akad Organization- Baghdad- held two conferences on “Promoting
the right to practice one’s own religion” on October 13 and
22. The conferences brought together between 30 and 35 participants including
members of the Christian, Sa’bea, Faili Kurds and Muslim communities
and discussed people’s right and freedom to practice their own
religion in the Iraqi society. Discussions included interventions from
various participants who voiced their concern about freedom of religion
in their community. Participants pointed out to the important role of
government and media in promoting tolerance and raising awareness about
the virtues of ethnic diversity.
The Himam Institution for Civil Society Building- Basra- held two workshops
on “Promoting Children’s rights” on October 20 and
26. The workshops were attended by about 40 participants each including
the head of the Basra office of the Ministry of Human Rights, Mr. Mahdi
Al-Tammimi; local officials; tribal leaders; schools and university representatives;
and local and international NGOs. Discussions included the UN convention
on the rights of the child, and the government’s role in complying
to this convention.
The Humane Organization for Human Rights- Kut- held two conferences
on “Preventing
Violence in Schools” on October 19 and 28. The conferences were
implemented in collaboration with the education directorate in the Kut/Wassit
province and brought together about 30 participants including representatives
from the Wassit education directorate, education institutions, and local
NGOs. Topics covered included awareness raising children’s rights,
the necessity to encourage collaboration between civil society and the
education directorate in the Kut province to deal with school violence.
The workshop also discussed the reasons and repercussions of violence
in schools and presented a real life teachers’ accounts of school
violence. Participants issued recommendations including: holding awareness
raising workshops to teachers and to students; creating and activating
parents associations; providing meals during school days; encouraging
extracurricular activities.
November 2009
IF small grants awardees -third round- continues implementing their
projects during the month of November. IF monitored project implementation
through
field visits in the provinces of Basra, Baghdad and Kut.
The Humane Organization for Human Rights, located in Kut, held its
third conference on “Preventing Violence in Schools” on
November 11. The conference was implemented in collaboration with
the Education
Directorate
in the
Kut/Wasit province and brought together about 30 participants including
representatives from the Media Directorate of Wasit Education Directorate,
21 educational teaching staff, group of students’ parents, and
2 local NGOs. Topics covered included awareness raising about children’s
rights, the necessity to encourage collaboration between civil society
and the Education Directorate in the Kut Province to deal with school
violence, and the criteria for measuring school violence under the
principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The workshop
also discussed
the reasons and repercussions of violence in schools, the reasons behind
violence in schools. Participants pointed out to the repercussions
of violence against students includingnegatively impacting children’s
creativity and integration, and its inefficiency in improving children’s
academic achievement. The workshop came to the conclusion that nurturing
and democratic environments help improve students’ confidence
and overall performance.
The Himam Institution for Civil Society Building, based in Basra, held
its third and fourth workshops on “Promoting Children’s
rights” on
November 9 and 18. Both workshops were attended by about 30 participants
each, including local officials; tribal leaders; and schools, human
rights, and children’s rights’CSOs representatives. Discussions
included a presentation of the UN convention on the rights of the
child and discussed
health insurance, education, progress, and life. The third workshop
was held in Abu Al-Qaseeb Local District, while the fourth workshop
was held
in Al-Dayer District – North of Basra.
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