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DEPARTMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Capacity building - post conflict reconstruction in Iraq

Client requirement

The UK Government have been committed to assisting the reconstruction of Iraq and have stated that women play a vital role in this endeavour.

In 2004 the Department for International Development (DFID) who lead on all development issues in Iraq required an objective analysis of the situation in regard to women’s organisations to ascertain the current level of development.  This scoping would enable DFID to allocate its funding in the most effective and appropriate manner.

Our response

Serene Communications worked with DFID to develop an assignment framework.  Building on expertise gained from existing contacts in the area and many years experience in gender, training and capacity building, we created a project outline with desired outcomes and agendas for a capacity building initiatives.

Following this initial consultancy phase, Serene Communications worked with another DFID partner organisation, SD Direct, to liaise and engage with a wide variety of women’s organisations and other agencies involved in governance in Iraq.  The purpose was to better understand the situation of women in Iraq, their desires for the future, how well existing organisations were operating and how they envisioned the future.  One aspect of this was the implementation of capacity building workshops to assist the women participants clarify common objectives and priorities and enable them to work together in strategically.  

Client outcomes

DFID included the resultant recommendations into the work of the Political Participation and the Civil Society Fund work and they were implemented almost immediately.

Serene Communications has continued contacts with women’s organisations in Iraq and has represented their views at conferences in the UK and consultations with government departments.

Client Response

“Excellent report on women's organisations in Iraq...realistic recommendations.” Anne Demirjian, United Nations Development Programme Manager -Iraq