Shafaq News/ In an effort to build a corruption-free Iraq, the UNDP, funded by the European Union, has conducted comprehensive capacity-building workshops. These workshops have equipped participants, including journalists and civil society members like Kawthar Al-Mohammadi from Falluja and Amira Ali from Baghdad, with essential investigative reporting skills. This Initiative aims to strengthen their abilities to combat corruption, advocate for transparency, and support Iraq's rebuilding efforts in a post-ISIL era.
"A corruption-free Iraq is the hope and ambition of all Iraqis; we want to live in a stable, free, and transparent country," says Kawthar Al-Mohammadi. "When the ISIL conflict was over, my family and I moved back to our home in Falluja, a city liberated from ISIL. We needed strong capabilities to address corruption to better rebuild our communities."
Amira Ali from Baghdad, another participant who works as a fact-checker at the Tech for Peace Organization, agrees with Kawthar. "The workshop has created a basic foundation and provided us with the necessary information to practice investigative reporting," she says. "Corruption is a scourge, and it is unfortunately widespread in our society. Media and civil society organizations play a key role in addressing corruption through advocacy and accelerating transformative change towards creating transparent and just societies."
Along with Kawthar and Amira, members of civil society and journalists attended five comprehensive capacity-building workshops provided by UNDP's Anti-Corruption and Arbitration Initiatives, generously funded by the European Union. According to the UNDP, the workshop series aimed to "support the participants with skill and knowledge building in investigative reporting, covering various topics on anti-corruption and investigative journalism."
"Our aim is to transform our society through advocating against corruption. We want to make everyone understand what corruption is, how harmful it is to our society, and how to fight against it. All in all, a corruption-free Iraq is what we are looking for," says Kawthar.
Amira also believes in the importance of collective action against corruption. "Everyone, regardless of who they are and where they come from, has a duty to stand against corruption. As a fact-checker, I believe I contribute to this cause. The workshop has provided me with new information and knowledge, which is critical both for my job and as an Iraqi citizen who has a duty to foster an equal society."
The participants have now completed the workshop series and started working on building a network against corruption. They come from across Iraq, representing diverse communities and backgrounds.
"Like Kawthar and Amira, they are all passionate about becoming part of the solution to put an end to a decades-long endemic: corruption, defined as a key priority by the Government of Iraq."
The UNDP said it would continue to support them by offering capacity-building training on building the network. It is envisioned to be a key enabler for many journalists and advocates to join forces, learn from each other, support each other, and take mutual actions against corruption.