Creating an environment in which a new generation of political and civil society actors and entrepreneurs can work together to overcome systemic barriers to change requires the sustained backing of reform-minded officials within Iraq, alongside durable support from international stakeholders.
In Iraq, both the national government and international actors often focus on integrating youth into formal systems. However, this approach may not always resonate with the public, particularly young people, whose experience has been that, under the Muhasasa system, political influence is in reality often wielded outside of Iraq’s formal institutions. Many young Iraqis see their everyday politics as a more relevant form of civic engagement. Therefore, it is crucial to create an enabling environment through which young people can work together to bring about the changes they want to see in their country. This requires the sustained backing of reform-minded officials within Iraq, alongside durable support as well as from the international community.
The following recommendations are intended to help foster this environment. Rather than direct specific actions at either the Iraqi government or external stakeholders, it is intended that both of these groups, together with young activists themselves, will engage with and support the recommendations and see opportunities to work together to take the initiatives forward.
Refocus capacity-building programmes to foster cross-sector collaboration among youth
While the thematic projects and technical capacity-building programmes so far offered by the international community have been useful in empowering young people in Iraq, systemic barriers – in the form of both red lines and red tape – continue to impede the work of a new generation of political and civil society actors, and to hold back young entrepreneurs. Supporting initiatives that connect young people and allow them to work together and share lessons learned in their respective areas of activity is an important step in helping them push against such barriers. This can be facilitated through two linked routes: refocusing capacity-building programmes to better target networks of young people working on specific issues, so that overlap and duplication are avoided; and establishing a multi-disciplinary collaboration hub – operating both in physical spaces and online – to foster dialogue and build networks of young people working in different fields.
A multi-disciplinary hub would not only focus on the technical aspects of politics, civil society or entrepreneurship, but also facilitate connections between these sectors and foster an environment in which young people can work more effectively together and build support within their communities to tackle common challenges.
Similar initiatives have been successful in other regions, among them the Young Leaders for Active Citizenship in India, and the Youth CoLab project across the Asia-Pacific region. These programmes focus on empowering young people, fostering interconnections, and building a supportive ecosystem that enhances their effectiveness in influencing societal change.
Forge strategic international partnerships to ensure more effective allocation of resources
The numerous initiatives by international and local organizations to support youth programming can sometimes mean that efforts are duplicated across projects. Establishing a coordinated funding mechanism among international donors, with a specific focus on projects targeting young Iraqis, is crucial to eliminating unwarranted overlap and streamlining support for youth-led initiatives, and to ensuring that aid provision best aligns with the diverse needs of young people and fosters better ways of working with them. An example of such a mechanism in practice is the Iraqi Economic Contact Group (IECG), initiated in 2020 by the UK, with the participation of the G7, the EU and the World Bank, to coordinate and streamline support for economic reform efforts.
Build connections between young activists and reformists to advocate for youth support and protection
Within Iraq, there are reform-minded civil servants and politicians who recognize the potential of young people and are committed to improving the system. Connecting young people with reformist figures is important, as it allows them to build trust and collaborate in specific activities and sectors. For young activists and reformists within the system alike, working together boosts the chances of success for their respective efforts to advance policy initiatives and reforms that enhance youth inclusion and protection.
Importantly, too, forging connections between networks of youth activists and reform-minded politicians and civil servants can provide a protective buffer for young people as they push against the systemic barriers – the red lines and red tape – described by interviewees. For example, expertise can be pooled in examining and influencing proposed new legislation – as already seen with the 2023 social security law – as well as to challenge the status quo via revisions to existing laws and policies. The proposed multi-disciplinary collaboration hub, described above, can serve as a mutually beneficial rallying point for such connections, helping to ensure the continuity and effectiveness of reform efforts.
Guarantee the independence and accountability of youth councils
Programmes such as youth parliaments and youth councils – including the present Supreme Youth Council – have the potential to amplify young voices in Iraq’s decision-making processes. However, for such initiatives to be truly empowering, they must be able to operate independently of prevailing political agendas. Commitment to government programmes focused on youth, and ensuring these initiatives are held accountable by youth groups themselves, are crucial steps towards ensuring more meaningful engagement. Guaranteeing their independence and longevity is key, and is reliant on both establishing dedicated independent funding streams and ensuring their coordination is managed by youth representatives.
