Education For Peace In Iraq Center

TO ACT AS A RIGHTS-BASED, HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT IN IRAQ THROUGH FIELD WORK, EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY.

RESEARCH & EDUCATION PROGRAM: GROUND-BREAKING REPORT ON IRAQS TISHREEN MOVEMENT: ON OCTOBER 1, 2019, A BROAD-BASED PROTEST MOVEMENT DEMANDING SYSTEMIC POLITICAL REFORM TOOK HOLD IN IRAQ. ACTIVISTS DUBBED THEIR MOVEMENT TISHREEN FROM THE ARABIC WORD FOR OCTOBER. IRAQI SECURITY FORCES AND MILITIAS BACKED BY IRAN RESPONDED WITH LETHAL FORCE, KILLING HUNDREDS OF PROTESTERS AND WOUNDING MANY THOUSANDS MORE. AND YET THE PROTESTS PERSISTED, PEACEFULLY FORCING A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT, THE PASSAGE OF A NEW ELECTION LAW, AND THE SCHEDULING OF EARLY ELECTIONS WHICH TOOK PLACE ON OCTOBER 10, 2021.IN 2021, WITH THE SUPPORT OF A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE SMITH RICHARDSON FOUNDATION, EPIC CONDUCTED A YEAR-LONG RESEARCH STUDY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND IRAQS TISHREEN MOVEMENT, THE PUSH FOR SYSTEMIC REFORMS, AND THE POWERS OF THE STATUS QUO OPPOSING IT. ON OCTOBER 1, 2021, THE TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE START OF THE TISHREEN MOVEMENT, EPIC PUBLISHED ITS RESEARCH FINDINGS IN A 120-PAGE REPORT TITLED: THE LONG GAME: IRAQS TISHREEN MOVEMENT AND THE STRUGGLE FOR REFORM, THE PRODUCT OF DOZENS OF IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS, INCLUDING FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS WITH IRAQI AND KURDISH ACTIVISTS, AND A NATIONWIDE PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS IN IRAQ. THE REPORT INCLUDED AN ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGINS OF THE TISHREEN MOVEMENT, ITS COMMITMENT TO REFORM THROUGH NONVIOLENCE, THE CHALLENGES OF MILITIAS AND OTHER OBSTACLES TO REFORM, AND AN ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL MEDIAS ROLE IN THE MOVEMENT. THE REPORT ALSO CORRECTLY ANTICIPATED CERTAIN TRENDS IN THE OCTOBER ELECTION RESULTS THAT MANY OUTLETS MISSED. EPIC WILL BUILD ON THE SUCCESS OF OUR GROUND-BREAKING TISHREEN REPORT THAT OFFERS A RARE GLIMPSE INTO THE POPULAR REFORM MOVEMENT. TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGE, IRAQIS NEED GOOD INFORMATION AND SOLID POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENDING CORRUPTION AND IMPUNITY. WE WILL CONTINUE BOTH OUR GROUND-LEVEL RESEARCH IN IRAQ AND POLICY ADVOCACY IN WASHINGTON, DC. PODCAST, COMMUNICATIONS, AND WEEKLY PRODUCTION OF THE IRAQ SECURITY AND HUMANITARIAN MONITOR (ISHM): EPICS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM INCLUDES OUR RESEARCH AND REPORTING ACTIVITIES, PRODUCTION OF THE IRAQ MATTERS PODCAST, THE WEEKLY PUBLICATION OF EPICS IRAQ SECURITY AND HUMANITARIAN MONITOR (ISHM), OUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM OFFERING UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEND A SEMESTER RESEARCHING AND WRITING FOR EPIC; AND COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC OUTREACH TO ENHANCE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE PEOPLE AND CULTURES OF IRAQ, THE PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF THE COUNTRY, AND THE PART THAT WE CAN ALL PLAY TO HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THROUGH ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES, EPIC IS PROVIDING POLICYMAKERS, SCHOLARS, AID WORKERS, JOURNALISTS, AND OTHER IRAQ WATCHERS WITH A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF IRAQ, HIGHLIGHTING IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS AND TRENDS IMPACTING THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ AND THE REGION, OFTEN WITH DIRECT POLICY IMPLICATIONS FOR THE U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. ON OCTOBER 10, OMAR APPEARED ON AN EPISODE OF IRAQI VOICES PODCAST (OF 1,001 IRAQI THOUGHTS), IN WHICH HE DISCUSSED THE IRAQI PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, ITS SIGNIFICANCE, AND HOW IRAQIS VIEW THEM IN LIGHT OF THE 2019 PROTEST MOVEMENT.

FIELD-BASED PROJECTS: I LOVE SINJAR PROJECT: IN 2021, EPIC CONTINUED AND COMPLETED ITS I LOVE SINJAR PROJECT WITH THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION (IOM) AS PART OF EPICS COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT THE RECOVERY OF IRAQS NINEWA PROVINCE. THE PROJECT HELPED INDIVIDUALS AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN SINJAR CREATE POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE THROUGH TARGETED INTERVENTIONS AND THE USE OF DIGITAL MEDIA. WITH THE SUPPORT OF EPICS TRAINING, MENTORING, AND FIELD VISITS BY OUR TEAM, THESE YOUNG ACTIVISTS ARE ADDRESSING CRITICAL ISSUES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE PROJECTS 9 PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED TALI, A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE FOR DISABILITY RIGHTS, RAKAN, A POLITICAL SCIENCE GRADUATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MOSUL, AND NASIMA, A YOUNG WOMAN WHO FLED WITH HER FAMILY TO SINJAR MOUNTAIN WHEN ISIS INVADED IN 2014. TALI AND HER FRIENDS PAINTED MURALS TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND ACCESS NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. AS PART OF THE PROJECT, HER ORGANIZATION, SINJAR ORGANIZATION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, ALSO SUCCESSFULLY ESTABLISHED SINJARS FIRST-EVER CROSSWALK! RAKAN CREATED VIDEOS ABOUT YAZIDI RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS TO FIGHT MISPERCEPTIONS ABOUT HIS COMMUNITY. NASIMA ORGANIZED ART THERAPY SESSIONS FOR WOMEN SURVIVORS OF TRAUMA. HER GOAL IS TO CREATE A UNIQUE COMMUNITY-BUILDING EXPERIENCE WHERE THE WOMEN CAN HEAL AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER. EPIC CONCLUDED THE PROJECT IN EARLY 2021 WITH THE LAUNCH OF AN I LOVE SINJAR YOUTUBE CHANNEL (HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/VUPMRSJCW6G), WHICH IS HOSTING ALL OF THE PARTICIPANTS VIDEOS. THE CHANNEL HAS RECEIVED THOUSANDS OF VIEWS AND GAINED 168 SUBSCRIBERS. TO SUPPORT IRAQI CIVIL SOCIETY, EPIC PUBLISHED ITS PEACEBUILDING WITH DIGITAL MEDIA TRAINING MANUAL IN ENGLISH AND ARABIC, MAKING IT FREELY AVAILABLE TO OTHER IRAQI ACTIVISTS AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS. #IRAQCOVIDRELIEF PROJECT IN MOSUL: THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE ACTIVELY MONITORED AND REPORTED ON COVID-19S AND IRAQS RESPONSE, PROVIDING TIMELY RECOMMENDATIONS TO POLICY MAKERS AND AID ORGANIZATIONS. EPIC ALSO COMPLETED WORK ON ITS CROWDFUNDED #IRAQCOVIDRELIEF INTERVENTION. THE PROJECT FOCUSED ON THE SALAM HOSPITAL AND AL-SHIFA SURGICAL CENTER IN THE NORTHERN CITY OF MOSUL. IN AUGUST 2020, THE TWO HOSPITALS WERE TREATING AS MANY AS 350 PATIENTS WITH COVID-19 PER WEEK. WORKING CLOSELY WITH LOCAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES AND OUR LONG-TIME PARTNER, THE IRAQ HEALTH ACCESS ORGANIZATION (IHAO), WE CONDUCTED A BASELINE NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF THE TWO HOSPITALS, IDENTIFYING CHRONIC SHORTAGES OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) AND DISINFECTANT CLEANING SUPPLIES. WE ALSO LEARNED THAT HOSPITAL STAFF HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY COVID-RELATED IPC (INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL) TRAINING. THEREFORE, BETWEEN JULY AND DECEMBER, WE DELIVERED MORE THAN $3,000 OF PPE AND CLEANING SUPPLIES, AND PROVIDED 80 DOCTORS AND NURSES WITH IPC TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, MAKING THE HOSPITALS SAFER FOR EVERYONE. THE FINAL PHASE OF THE PROJECT WAS COMPLETED IN EARLY 2021, WHICH INCLUDED A FINAL ASSESSMENT, EVALUATION, AND REPORT ON THE PROJECT. FIELD OFFICE IN THE KURDISTAN REGION OF IRAQ: THROUGH THE YEAR, EPIC INVESTED IN THE ONGOING STAFFING, OPERATIONS, AND DEVELOPMENT OF ITS FIELD OFFICE IN ERBIL. THE OFFICE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN CARRYING OUT GROUND-BREAKING RESEARCH, INCLUDING A NATIONWIDE SURVEY, AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH INTERNATIONAL DONORS, IRAQI ACTIVISTS AND BENEFICIARIES, CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, AND POTENTIAL NEW PARTNERS.

POLICY ANALYSIS AND ADVOCACY PROGRAM: PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS AND ADVOCACY: THROUGHOUT 2021, EPIC WORKED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF INFORMATION AND POLICY OPTIONS ON IRAQ BEING CONSIDERED BY U.S. POLICY-MAKERS AND OTHER KEY DECISION MAKERS. THROUGH OUR WEBSITE AND REGULAR COMMUNICATIONS TO OUR EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF E-MAIL SUBSCRIBERS AND SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, EPIC IS CAMPAIGNING TO STRENGTHEN U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR IRAQS RECOVERY FROM YEARS OF WAR; ENCOURAGING POLICY MAKERS TO ARTICULATE A CLEAR, LONG-TERM STRATEGY FOR ADVANCING IRAQS PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING EFFORTS TO SUPPORT AND IMPROVE PEACE-BUILDING, HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTIONS, AND GOOD GOVERNANCE; AND FOCUSING ATTENTION ON THE PLIGHT OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED IRAQIS, GENOCIDE SURVIVORS, AND OTHER VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN IRAQ. STARTING IN OCTOBER 2019, MASS PROTESTS BROKE OUT IN BAGHDAD AND OTHER MAJOR CITIES IN IRAQ DEMANDING IMMEDIATE DEMOCRATIC REFORMS TO FIGHT CORRUPTION, END HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, CREATE JOBS, AND IMPROVE GOVERNANCE AND THE DELIVERY OF PUBLIC SERVICES. IRAQI MILITIAS AND SECURITY FORCES RESPONDED WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE, KILLING HUNDREDS. MILITIAS ALSO RESPONDED WITH A CAMPAIGN OF INTIMIDATION AGAINST PROTEST ORGANIZERS AND ACTIVISTS. AS A RESULT, SINCE 2019, EPICS ADVOCACY HAS FOCUSED ON URGENTLY NEEDED REFORMS IN IRAQ. EPIC IS PRESSING THE U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO DO MORE TO CONDEMN THE VIOLENCE, DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF ACTIVISTS, AND SUPPORT THE CALLS FOR GOVERNMENT REFORM AND FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS. ON AUGUST 20, THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTES FIKRA FORUM PUBLISHED, POLLS GIVE IRAQS REFORMERS THE ADVANTAGE, THE VOTE MAY BE THEIRS TO LOSE, A POLICY ANALYSIS AUTHORED BY EPICS RESEARCH TEAM WHICH INCLUDED THE PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF EPICS PRE-ELECTION NATIONWIDE SURVEY OF ELIGIBLE IRAQI VOTERS. PUBLISHED WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTIONS, EPICS ANALYSIS PREDICTED LIKELY DIFFICULTIES FOR TISHREEN PROTEST MOVEMENT TO TRANSLATE POPULAR SUPPORT INTO ELECTORAL GAINS, DUE TO WIDESPREAD CONCERNS ABOUT ELECTORAL LEGITIMACY, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, AND CALLS FOR A BOYCOTT. ON OCTOBER 12, EPICS PROGRAM DIRECTOR OMAR AL-NIDAWI PARTICIPATED IN A SPECIAL POST-ELECTIONS BRIEFING HOSTED BY THE MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTE (MEI) ABOUT HOW THE ELECTIONS ARE RESHAPING THE IRAQI POLITICAL SCENE DESPITE LOW VOTER TURNOUT, AND ON NOVEMBER 1, MEI PUBLISHED OMARS ANALYSIS TITLED WHILE IRAQS NEXT GOVERNMENT MAY BE BUSINESS AS USUAL, THE ELECTION HAS PLANTED THE SEEDS FOR CHANGE.

LOBBYING: THROUGH OCCASIONAL DIRECT AND GRASSROOTS LOBBYING EFFORTS, EPICS WASHINGTON DC OFFICE AND NATIONAL MEMBERSHIP CONDUCT OUTREACH TO LAWMAKERS ABOUT THE HUMANITARIAN NEEDS OF VULNERABLE IRAQIS AND WORK TO INFORM POLICY DECISIONS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO A BETTER, SAFER WORLD FOR THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ AND THE UNITED STATES. WITH OUR STRENGTHENED PRESENCE ON-THE-GROUND IN IRAQ, WE ARE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE CHALLENGES FACING IRAQ AND IDENTIFYING GAPS IN THE INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE WHERE OUR ADVOCACY CAN MAKE THE STRONGEST IMPACT. IN LATE 2021, THE EPIC TEAM BRIEFED THE DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN STAFF OF THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE ON THE OUTCOME OF THE OCTOBER 2021 ELECTIONS AND THE FAILED ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON PRIME MINISTER KADHIMI. WE DISCUSSED WHAT CONGRESS CAN DO TO SUPPORT HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRATIC REFORMS, AND ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORTS IN IRAQ.