Oxfam: Resiliens, Jämställdhet och Social Sammanhållning Irak 2020-2022 Oxfam: Promoting Gender Equality, Resilience and Social Cohesion Iraq 2020-2022 Projektet "Promoting Gender Equality, Resilience and Social Cohesion in Iraq" implementeras i Ninewa-regionen i Irak under 2020-2022. Det bidrar till två områden i Sveriges strategi för utvecklingssamarbete med Irak, att bidra till fredliga inkluderande samhällen och ökad jämställdhet. Då många människor i Irak tvingats på flykt på grund av de väpnade konflikterna i landet finns det ett stort behov av att skapa försörjningsmöjligheter för återvändande och för de som lever i fattigdom. Oxfams projekt syftar till att stärka kvinnors ekonomiska situation samt motståndskraft för människor i konfliktområden genom ökad tillgång till säker och hållbar försörjning inom jordbrukssektorn. Med ett specifikt fokus på kvinnor förväntas projektet bidra till kvinnors ökade ekonomiska deltagande och egenmakt inom ramen för strategin.

Projektet förväntas även att bidra till ökad social sammanhållning och därmed minska spänningar i Ninewa, en region av Irak som drabbats hårt av krig och konflikter, och där befolkningen har olika etniska och religiösa bakgrunder samt olika erfarenheter av konflikter, av flykt och återvändande. Därför är det av vikt att bidra till ökade förutsättningar för ett säkert och hållbart återvändande. Oxfam bidrar till detta genom att skapa försörjningsmöjligheter inom jordbrukssektorn, med potential att generera inkomstmöjligheter för människor som lever i fattigdom och utsatthet, framförallt kvinnor men även unga och andra som bedöms som extra utsatta. The Oxfam project "Promoting Gender Equality, Resilience and Social Cohesion in Iraq" is implemented in the Ninewa region in Iraq during 2020-2022. It contributes to two objectives of the Swedish strategy for development cooperation with Iraq, to contribute to peaceful and inclusive societies and gender equality. As many people was forced to flee due to the violent conflicts in Iraq, there is now a big need to create livelihood opportunities for people returning and for people living in poverty. Oxfam's project aims to strengthen women's economic empowerment and resilience among the population living in conflict affected areas through increased access to safe and sustainable livelihood within the agricultural sector. With a specific focus on women, the project aims to contribute to women's economic participation and empowerment within the frames of the strategy.  

The project also aims to contribute to social cohesion and thus to contribute to the decrease of tensions in Ninewa, a region in Iraq that has been much affected by conflicts, and which has a population of diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, as well as different experiences from displacement and return. Therefore it is very important to contribute to increased opportunities for a safe and sustainable return. The contribution contributes to this through the creation of livelihood opportunities within the agricultural sector, with potential to generate income for people living in poverty, especially women and youth, but also for others assessed to be living in vulnerability. The overall objective of the project is to promote gender equality, resilience and social cohesion through increased livelihood opportunities for women in the agricultural sector, the introduction of climate smart agricultural skills, social cohesion and community-based discussions and advocacy on shared concerns. The Outcomes and Outputs of the project are:

Outcome 1. Women's Economic Empowerment is strengthened in target communities through improved access to safe and sustainable livelihood opportunities
- Output 1.1 Increased evidence-based research for self-sufficient and durable agri-economic opportunities for vulnerable individuals with a focus on women.
- Output 1.2 Targeted households have improved climate smart agriculture skills and agri-business knowledge
- Output 1.3 Targeted households have increased access to sustainable income opportunities in the agriculture sector
- Output 1.4 Linkages between targeted households and extension services and private sector market actors are strengthened  
- Output 1.5 Increased opportunities for women to engage in local and national advocacy for WEE and locally identified concerns related to unpaid care work, barriers to economic opportunities

Outcome 2. Increased social cohesion in target communities through increased opportunities for women focused community engagement
- Output 2.1 Increased opportunities for community-based discussions around shared concerns through community organizations, farmers associations, women's support groups meetings