IREX
International Research & Exchanges Board

US State Dept.

Building Bridges through Technology: Capacity Building for Collaborative Governance in Iraq

Program Overview

The 18-month Building Bridges through Technology: Capacity Building for Collaborative Governance in Iraq program will provide enhanced technical skills to improve the effectiveness of government personnel and civil society stakeholders (NGOs, journalists, and others). A program of the US Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor and administered by IREX, Building Bridges through Technology will also use the technical training as a means to create a sustainable environment for collaborative governance among stakeholders that results in a more efficient and transparent government able to anticipate and respond to the needs of its citizens and a citizenry able to advocate for its priorities.

The program approach combines IREX’s expertise in information and communication technology with its insights and experience in collaborative governance. The program uses the appeal of training in technology to create a safe common space for government and civil society stakeholders to communicate and collaborate in ways that would otherwise not be possible in Iraq.

Key Issues and Objectives

  • Strengthen government and civil society actors’ technical computer skills for improved internal systems within their organizations/departments; help them to better collect and interpret data; and implement technology based strategies for outreach and communication;

  • Impart skills for consensus-oriented approaches to planning, problem solving, and policymaking; and

  • Provide opportunities for select groups of participants to implement projects that strengthen government-community linkages and improve social service delivery in communities.

Project Results

Expected results include a cadre of government officials and civil society leaders with increased ICT skills, a strong understanding of tools and techniques to advocate for and lead collaborative governance initiatives from their respective institutions and experience applying ICT skills to improve government services. Roughly 300 participants will be trained in three governorates of Iraq.

Project Activities

IREX’s program will train government personnel and civil society stakeholders in multiple. From larger introductory trainings a smaller select group of change agents will be identified for training that introduces more advanced tools for collaborative governance, consensus building, policy planning and collaboration techniques. The last phase of the training course will allow participants to apply their skills to identify joint collaborative initiatives to work across traditional sectoral and departmental boundaries to improve communication and governance.

IREX Media Work in Iraq

IREX has worked in Iraq since 2005. As the implementer of the media component of the USAID-funded Iraq Civil Society and Media Support Program, IREX supported the launch of the country’s first commercially-based independent news agency, NINA; supported balanced, engaging programming on the constitutional referendum and elections; and provided training and consulting on business management and journalism. IREX Europe, with the support of UNESCO, implemented the Media Sustainability Index for Iraq and supported radio rebroadcasting of elections programming produced by Al-Iraqiya television.

Program Contact

bbtt@irex.org

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