Holding Governorate Councils accountable in Iraq

An UNDEF-funded project in Iraq has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with six Governorate Councils as part of an effort to strengthen civil society participation in democratic processes and advance accountability in Government institutions.

The project, active in the Governorates of Baghdad, Babil, Karkuk, Najaf, Basrah and Karbala, works to make communities more aware of their rights to participation and basic services, as well as evaluate the performance of Governorate Councils to address citizens’ needs.

Implemented by the Um-Alyateem Foundation, the project will train Governorate Councils in good governance and transparency, public policy and communication. A network of more than 20 civil society organizations will attend Governorate Council sessions regularly to monitor their performance. The results will be disseminated through a website and public reports.