👥 Partners: Al-Firdaws Association, Iraqi Ministry of Interior, Norwegian People’s Aid, SIDA

💡 What Happens When Policymakers, Security Forces, and Women Leaders Meet at the Same Table?

For decades, women in Basra have faced systemic barriers to security, participation, and justice. While frameworks like UNSCR 1325 and Iraq’s National Action Plan (NAP 2) provide a foundation for reform, implementation remains a challenge.

I had the pleasure of moderating the Two-Day Consultation and Dialogue Conference in Basra, which served as more than just an event—it was a turning point. Bringing together 200 participants, including security officials, women’s rights activists, policymakers, civil society leaders, and youth, the conference bridged the gap between duty-bearers and rights-holders to develop a joint roadmap for gender-responsive security policies.

📌 Breaking Barriers: What This Dialogue Achieved

📌 Security Forces & Women’s Rights Advocates in Direct Conversation
For the first time, security officers and women’s rights defenders engaged in structured, solutions-driven discussions on protection challenges, gender-based violence (GBV) response, and structural barriers to women in security institutions.

📌 Confronting Reality: Addressing Gender-Based Violence in Basra
Dialogue sessions examined high-profile GBV cases that have raised public concern, leading to calls for stronger accountability, improved protection mechanisms, and policy action.

📌 Bridging Tribal & Legal Justice Systems
Participants explored the role of tribal mediation in security enforcement, discussing ways to align customary practices with formal legal frameworks to ensure women’s access to justice.

📌 Advancing Women’s Inclusion in Security Forces
While there remains ongoing debate about the role of women in security institutions, discussions emphasized the need for cultural shifts, leadership pathways, and gender-inclusive policies within law enforcement.

🚀 Turning Dialogue into Action: Key Outcomes

This was not just a discussion—it was a policy-shaping platform. Concrete commitments included:

✔ Security Sector Commitments: Security institutions pledged to expand training on UNSCR 1325, gender-sensitive policing, and survivor-centered case handling.
✔ Advocacy & Policy Influence: Women’s organizations presented policy recommendations to integrate gender-sensitive reforms into security sector strategies.
✔ Public Accountability: Civil society organizations committed to tracking security forces’ progress on implementing gender-inclusive practices.
✔ Baseline for Local Action Plan: Findings from the conference will inform a localized Basra Action Plan, aligned with Iraq’s National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325.

🌍 Beyond Basra: A Model for Transformative Dialogue

This consultation set a precedent for structured engagement between security forces and civil society, offering a replicable model for UNSCR 1325 implementation across Iraq and beyond.