Consultation Roundtable on Human Rights for Ninewa Governorate Stakeholders

The 11-12 March event aimed at highlighting the importance of monitoring skills of State entities, community-based organizations and non-governmental organizations in relation to human rights violations and abuses that have been committed in Ninewa Governorate. The discussion focused on fostering furthermore the coordination and cooperation in supporting the capacity of the stakeholders and duty bearers in Ninewa Governorate in verifying, documenting and reporting on human rights abuses and violations.

Topics also included priorities in working with HRO UNAMI and the importance of networking between State and civil society actors. National and international experts provided specialized presentations on verifying, documenting and report writing, in addition to an overview on Iraq’s obligations vis-à-vis international human rights law.

The roundtable is part of the ongoing cooperation of HRO UNAMI with Ninewa Governorate stakeholders, community representatives and civil society aiming at increasing their capacity in monitoring human rights, verifying and reporting on human rights abuses and violations.

Mr. Bachar Al- Kiki, Chairperson of the Provincial Council in Ninewa, commended the event’s outcome and noted that Ninewa stakeholders and duty bearers may have access to important accounts, but they need to be empowered to acquire the right skills to verify, document and report on human rights violations and abuses. He announced the decision by the Council to create the Committee to Document and Report Abuses and Violations Committed by the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Ninewa Governorate.

Ms. Roueida El Hage, Chief of HRO UNAMI in Kurdistan Region, noted that monitoring allegations of human rights violations involve an important process of collecting, verifying and documenting facts while preserving principles of monitoring, including accuracy and precision, confidentiality, impartiality, credibility, and do-no-harm to victims or sources. She noted that well-handled human rights information is essential to establish accountability and fight impunity in relation to serious crimes committed in Iraq.