On May 22, 2016, the closeout conference of Support for Minorities in Iraq (SMI) program began. It was a time to reflect on successes and impacts, address challenges and obstacles, and create a plan for the future beyond the program.
From October 2013 through June 2016, the SMI program provided assistance to six of the main minority communities in Iraq, the Assyrian, Bahai, Kakai, Shabak, Sabean-Mandaean, and Yazidi. In the previous decade, these minority communities faced enormous challenges and obstacles. Through internal conflicts and clashes they became an instrument for discrimination, suppression and oppression. This was observed in government policies as well as attacks by terrorist militias and groups including ISIL. With help from SMI, incredible progress has been made to support minorities and improve their capacity to serve their communities.
“The program’s beneficiaries explicitly gave clear credit to the SMI program for helping them grow, develop and open their eyes to other minorities while learning how to coexist with others in a spirit of tolerance.” – an external evaluator on SMI
The SMI project supported three main objectives. The first objective was improving the institutional capacity of Minority Cultural Centers (MCCs). They achieved this through training workshops, one-on-one technical assistance, and capacity building grants. Through the memorandum of understanding signed between the parties and the capacity they achieved, MCCs are better organized and better prepared to serve their communities in the reconciliation and peacemaking process. The second objective was to increase minority civil society outreach. This was realized through grassroots theater initiatives, community projects and journalism trainings. The final objective was to foster economic growth amongst vulnerable minority women. This objective was met through the vocational training of 507 women on sewing, hairdressing, folklore, food processing, weaving and bread making. Minority women were also given business skills training and issued start-up kits. In addition, Blumont distributed gifts-in-kind throughout the duration of the program.
The Sabean Mandaean community was one of the major success stories of SMI. In this community, employees and volunteers working for their MCC participated in a series of capacity building trainings. To supplement the trainings, SMI awarded the MCC a US$5000 grant to design and implement a project of their own. The project they designed involved increasing their outreach and introducing Sabean Mandaean philosophy to other communities, including Iraqi majority groups. They undertook this project to inform other Iraqi communities of their plight as a vulnerable minority group that has been consistently targeted by terrorist organizations such as ISIL. They aimed to improve their status by sharing their culture and standing up for their rights.
Through pamphlets and educational seminars, awareness of Sabean Mandaean beliefs, history and culture increased. The appearance of the Mandaean Sheikh on a prominent media outlet further increased the project’s visibility. Rudaw TV, the largest Kurdish news network, also published the program and the event on their official Facebook page, YouTube channel and their official website. The project resulted in the creation of a fund for the Mandaean community. This fund allows them to have contact with other local and international NGOs and will help implement similar projects in different cities inside the Kurdistan Regional Government territory, as well as the rest of Iraq. The MCC staff and members attributed their success to SMI, which supported them from the very beginning.
Mandaean Sheikh being interviewed on Rudaw TV
Encouraged by the results of SMI, participants at the closeout conference discussed future programs and sustainability efforts. Attendees discussed ways that similar programs could be even more effective. “The SMI ended, but our work starts now” said Issam, a Kakaei representative. A few of the group’s ideas included MCCs having more engagement, increasing collaboration and cooperation between minority groups, and engaging more majority communities. Also mentioned was the idea of increasing collaboration with third parties. Potential options included educational sectors, media outlets, government agencies, and legal agencies and institutions. Finally, they discussed the need for more projects for women and minorities both in post conflict and in liberated areas. New issues such as how to address minorities who are Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and the challenge of immigrant and refugee engagement in future programs resulting from the wave of minorities moving from the region to abroad were also brought up.
During the meeting, the representative of the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs mentioned that their aim for the future is coexistence, peacemaking and tolerance. The representative also mentioned that collaboration between the Ministry and minority groups which started during the SMI program will continue after the program’s completion. Support for Minorities in Iraq has ended, but the roles of the Minority Cultural Centers, minority civil activists and majority communities, alongside the role of global organizations, have only just begun. They will need to collaborate to sustain and further peace and prosperity in Iraq.
An SMI Meeting
