Providing psycho-social support, community activities, promoting social cohesion, knowledge and dialogue between the Syrian refugee population, displaced Iraqis and the host community in the Arbat area (Sulaymaniyah), Iraq, through the establishment of a community centre.
This is the goal of a new project that will see us engaged for the next 12 months, in collaboration with our local partners from the Democracy and Human Rights Development Centre (DHRD) and the Civil Development Centre (CDO), thanks to the support of UNDP. Many activities will be organised within the Arbat Community Centre, with a special focus on the most vulnerable groups, such as Syrianə, Iraqiə and Kurdə women and children. These include training to combat and raise awareness of gender-based violence, psycho-social and psychiatric support for victims, and legal support if necessary.
In addition, after-school activities will be organised in the centre for more than 500 childrenə and boysə, which will include Kurdish language and computer courses, non-formal education activities (theatre, social circus, music and sports courses). Kurdish language, computer, theatre, dance, music and sports courses will also be dedicated to 300 women. Spaces necessary for the opening of a library will also be rehabilitated.
In a second phase of the project, workshops and awareness-raising campaigns on the importance of dialogue and peaceful mediation will also be organised for members of civil society, NGOs and local committees, with a special focus on women and youth. On a bi-weekly basis, collective dialogues will be organised on particular issues affecting the communities to avoid future divisions and rifts.
The final objective of the intervention will then be to identify a group of volunteers, made up of young people from the 3 communities, who will take part in the centre's support activities by collaborating in setting up new committees, designing information campaigns and social events for the communities.
