Zummar & Sinune Peace Committees Activities
Anticipating ‘The Day After’ for Mosul Province Program Background of the Program The “Day After” program is developed by PAX and partners and aims to realize representative and legitimate governance, sound security provisions and increased social cohesion, ultimately leading toan inclusive post-ISIS reconstruction of Mosul province. The program is managed from PAX and partner offices in Utrecht (the Netherlands), Amman (Jordan), Erbil and Bagdad (Iraq).
Iraq has a population that is ethnically and religiously diverse. The Mosul province is home to the majority of Iraq’s minority groups, and is the most diverse region in the country. The ongoing dispute about ‘Disputed Internal Boundaries’ (DIBs), originating in the Arabisation policy of Saddam Hussein, causes an extremely fragile social fabric. Since the end of 2014, Kurdish Peshmerga forces have been able to re-capture parts of the Mosul province and return of IDPs is anticipated, but highly politicized and conflict sensitive. The sectarian policies and presence of ISIS, together with the activities of other ethnic and/or religious militias in the country, has worsened the relations between civilians with regard to social cohesion in the province. Apart from inter-community distrust and subsequent retaliation actions, future peace-building efforts in the Mosul province must take into account disparities along geographical and community lines. In Iraq, PAX and partners are involved in promoting legal protection of minorities, analysis of human rights violations and policy recommendations for conflict resolution and peace building, especially in areas currently affected by the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Specific objectives 1. Opening dialogue between local authorities and civic actors, aimed at creating the capacity to develop conflict sensitive planning and improving security. 2. Contribution of civic change agents to the development of district level reconstruction plans. 3. Advocacy by civic change agents to keep their issues on the agenda of local authorities. 4.
Creating early warning capacities among key community stakeholders, along with the ability to
5. Facilitating documentation and expression of community narratives by civic change agents and local media. 6.
Finally, capacity building of local agents and creating a stable framework – multiplier effect for other areas that will be liberated from ISIS.
Activities of Local Peace Committees in Zummar and Sinune After conducting town hall meeting and establishment of local peace committees in Zummar and Sinune by Al -Mesalla organization, the two committees have been trained with support of PAX couple of times on civic and peaceful campaigns and activities in the ground to achieve the programmes objectives and goals. These committees submitted many small proposals for the small grand which is existing in the frame work of the program. Finally more that eight small projects have been approved by PAX and Al-Mesalla to be funded and implemented directly by Peace Committees in Zummar and Sinune.
Zummar PCs activities: A- Promoting the role of women in peace building (12th Nov to 17 Nov, 2016). The idea of this activity came from the Peace Committees and Regular meetings and submitting proposals. PCs of Zammar implemented 6 days of campaigns on women's participation in peace-building in Zummar and from three different sub-areas, per area 20 women from different communities were participated. 60 in total participated from different components such as Kurd and Arab. 20 Twenty women from Bardia area, 20 women from Dumeez and 20 women from Zammar Centre. The project included providing and exercise events and experiences raising and strengthen of women role in promoting peace initiatives, solving the problems and conflicts starting in the family and the village level and the importance of women participation in civic initiatives in Zummar.
B– Promoting dialogue between citizens and the local government (12th Nov to 17th 2016) Beside the women empowerment for peace initiatives the Peace Committee implemented 6 days campaigns on strengthen the dialogue between the community and the local government. 60 person form PC and different communities components were participated in the Peace Committee three initiatives. 20 people from Badria area, 20 people from Dumeez and 20 people from Zammar Center.
Continue of activity B. In each area there was two days and every day for 2 hours dialogue between local authorities and communities about administration of Zammar, departments of service where on the one hand and between the representatives some public services providers departments and various layers of the society on the other hand participated. There was extensive and explicit discussions between local authorities and community on necessary services that offered by the local government for the community and the needs of dialogues. The resulted in these dialogues was brought many suggestions and many initiatives will help to provide a number needs and initiatives to address a number of local problems in these three areas. Notes: these campaign is continues‌‌‌...
Sinune PCs activities: A- Promoting peace by promoting the art of communication among women Since women re considered a very active factor in the process of peace building and conflict resolution at home and in the society, it is important to activate the role of this important factor in the society. Strengthening the social connections among women in very vital and helps them get together and plan activities that promote their role even more. Peace committee has been implemented a campaign started from 12th Nov to 14 Nov 2016, 20 women from Borke area and 20 women from Dugrke participated and involved in this campaign. Two days per area and the main topic was to raise the capacity of women to have their sound and power toward strong and active communicating for peace. The campaign included the expertise and skills to strengthen the capacities of women in the arts of communication and capacitybuilding in public speaking, dialogue and the use of strong words for expressions.
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