Administrator’s Weekly Report
Governance
March 13 - 19, 2004
HIGHLIGHTS
-- The Iraqi Minister for Human Rights, Abdul Basit Turki, and a delegation of independent
human rights non-governmental organizations attended the UN Commission on Human Rights
(UNCHR) in Geneva on March 15 where a permanent UN Human Rights mission in Iraq was
announced.
-- The CPA sponsored a senior delegation of Iraqi women to the United Nations Commission
on the Status of Women in New York March 1-12. The delegation represented women from the
Iraqi Governing Council (IGC), the Iraqi Higher Women’s Council, and prominent Iraqi civil
society organizations.
I.
Support Transition to Iraqi Sovereignty

A recent poll on March 15, found that
1) Iraqis overwhelmingly (79 percent) want their nation to remain united and
centralized. The poll should be considered reliable, but the federalism
question was presented without a great deal of context. Other reliable polls
show that when federalism is presented in a series of questions asking about
local control, Iraqis are much more accepting. The negative reaction in the
ORI poll is triggered probably by the perception in much of Iraq that
federalism benefits only the Kurds.
2) Nearly half of respondents said the country needed a “single strong leader”
for the next 12 months, versus twenty-eight percent who expressed the need
for an Iraqi democracy. It is likely that this is in response to security
concerns and fears of disunity.
3) Considering the same question but within a 5 year period, respondents
expressed more support for democracy than for a single strong Iraqi leader.
4) Concerns related to a need for strong leadership notwithstanding, Iraqis
clearly prefer democracy and democratic leaders to any other form of
government, including a theocracy, which is preferred by no more than
approximately 20 percent.
5) Support for political parties is very low. Seventy percent do not identify
with any political party.
6) Confirming trends noted in several other polls, trust in the Iraqi police and
army is high and increasing.

The International Republican Institute (IRI) supported a forum conducted in Baghdad on
March 13 and 14 by the Iraqi Foundation for the Development of Democracy, hosted by
Ghassan Al-Attiyah on the new Transitional Administrative Law (TAL).

Communications officials from the IGC, Iraqi Ministries, and the General Information
Center convened in Baghdad on March 15 to exchange ideas and establish a network of
communications professionals for the Iraqi government. The IRI lectured on the basics
of government communication and led discussions on the issues related to public
information access. This meeting was the first in a series of eight workshops designed to
improve external communication by the Iraqi government.

The CPA Local Governance Program (LGP) facilitated a training seminar for the Rashad
District Council. Ten members participated, including the Mayor and the representative
to the Kirkuk Governorate Council. Rashad is a predominantly Arab area, consisting
mainly of members of the Al Assi tribe. The training focused on team building and
Council procedures.

Refreshment of the Dhi Qar Provincial Council continues with seats to be allocated to
tribal representatives, political parties, district councils, women, hauza clerics, and
professional unions. Each group is being encouraged to select its own members through a
caucus.

Town Hall meetings were held in Amara and Basra, March 13 and 14, respectively,
where IGC members Wael Abdel Latif and Abu Hatem played a key role in promoting
the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL). Interim Councils were briefed and
discussions in mosques and political circles are underway.
II.
Develop Civic Participation in Governance
Develop indigenous polling capacity; Provide women and youth with the skills necessary to
become important participants in the political process; Develop local civil society capacity to
conduct advocacy and participate in political life; Develop civic education programs promoting
electoral participation and democratic ideals; Build capacity for civil society conflict prevention
and mitigation

The CPA, through USAID’s Iraq Transition Initiative (OTI), sponsored a senior
delegation of Iraqi women to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in
New York March 1-12. The delegation represented women from the Iraqi Governing
Council, the Iraqi Higher Women’s Council, and prominent Iraqi civil society
organizations. The delegation, which included IGC member Dr. Rajaa Khuzai, also
traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with senior U.S. government officials including
2
FOUO
Prepared by the Information Management Unit
Department of State Undersecretary for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky, Senior
Coordinator for International Women’s Issues Charlotte Ponticelli, and USAID
Administrator Andrew Natsios. The Iraqi women also attended the President’s speech at
the White House on progress in global women’s rights. During their visit in Washington
they held several press briefings for members of the domestic and foreign press and
participated in a public event at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
During their visit, the delegation discussed challenges facing women in Iraq, including
lack of security and the need for training opportunities to increase women’s participation
in political and social affairs.

On March 15 and 16, Just Read, an Iraqi NGO, presented a National Agenda Dialogue
Conference for youth in Baghdad with the support of USAID’s Local Governance
Program (LGP). Just Read is a Baghdad-based NGO that focuses on the needs of young
people. More than 200 young adults gathered from all parts of Iraq to discuss the role of
youth in Iraq’s development. Among the agenda topics were economics, religion,
democracy, media, education and women’s issues, all as pertaining to Iraqi youth.
Participants highlighted that democracy and religion can co-exist and that traditional
Islamic principles can still be followed in a democratic society. As a next step,
participants suggested the development of a national communication network for youth to
exchange information. The participants also emphasized the need to work with the Iraqi
Governing Council. Although the LGP funded and facilitated the conference, Just Read
independently determined conference content and structure with the goal of generating a
genuinely independent dialogue among Iraqi youth. This conference is one of ten
National Dialogue Conferences being supported by CPA and USAID under the Civic
Dialogue Program.

The Kirkuk Project Coordination Center (PCC) refurbishment is complete. The center
will integrate planning and tracking efforts for Kirkuk reconstruction projects among the
CPA, Coalition forces, the ministry directorates, the local Iraqi government, and NGOs.
The PCC project will also train Iraqi staff on project and service assessments, and enable
local leaders to establish priorities and seek funds for community improvement projects.

Approximately 300 participants attended a conference to establish the League of Retired
Persons of Kirkuk. The focus of the conference was the issue of the social security for
retirees in the emerging Iraqi democracy.

The CPA LGP held a discussion in Kirkuk with the Organization for Women’s Freedom
on areas of possible cooperation, most notably in raising awareness among women and
girls about human rights. In addition to inclusion of the Civil Society Organization
(CSO) in the Civic Dialogue Program, other issues of priority included CSO participation
in weekly meetings of the Council and committees, participation in projects to raise
public awareness of issues such as corporal punishment in school, and participation in the
creation of a safe social and educational space for students outside the classroom. The
organization has already done considerable work in schools, with the media, and with
other CSOs on the issue of women’s rights.
3
FOUO
Prepared by the Information Management Unit

The CPA LGP celebrated the opening of the Renaissance Women’s Association in
Muthanna. More than 70 men and women attended the ceremony which was aired live
on local television. When the LGP initiated efforts in Muthanna, there was no political
platform for women. Today, nearly ten women’s leagues have been established across
the governorate.
III.
Support Development of Sustainable Political Parties/Associations
Support development of political associations

National Democratic Institute (NDI) completed a series of multi-party workshops in
Hillah, Baghdad, Tikrit, and Kirkuk. In addition to serving as an introduction to the NDI,
the sessions provided an opportunity to assess the strengths, weaknesses, and potential
capacity of more than 45 political parties that participated. The workshops were used to
provide party leaders with an overview of the planning and techniques used by political
parties around the world.
IV.
Promote Respect for Human Rights
Educate on Human Rights Issues; Preserve documentation of past atrocities, raise awareness,
and promote reconciliation; Strengthen local capacity to investigate and address past atrocities;
Iraqi Special Tribunal (IST) for past atrocities; Human Rights Incorporated into Laws; Develop
Role of Independent Human Rights NGOs and Media; Establish a Human Rights Ministry

The Iraqi Minister for Human Rights Abdul Basit Turki attended the UN Commission on
Human Rights (UNCHR) in Geneva on March 15. The Commission produces
resolutions on human rights in various parts of the world and reports on thematic issues
such as the rights of women, children and minorities worldwide. The permanent staffing
of the mission in Iraq will be organized through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The
arrival of a mission team genuinely dedicated to the improvement of human rights in
Iraq, combined with the simultaneous visit to UNCHR of a delegation of independent
human rights NGOs from Iraq, is a positive move forward.
4
FOUO
Prepared by the Information Management Unit