Leadership and Advocacy Programme for Women (Iraq)

On Aug 18, 2026

The UNDP Iraq Leadership and Advocacy Program for Women supports women from Anbar, Diyala, Salahaddin, Ninewa, and Kirkuk in developing leadership and advocacy skills. The program combines in-person training with networking, dialogue, technical support, and engagement opportunities to help women advocate for women’s rights, participate in public life, and contribute to peacebuilding and community development.

What Is the UNDP Iraq Leadership and Advocacy Program?

The program is organized under the UNDP project “Catalyzing Women’s Peace Groups and Civil Society Alliances for Sustainable Implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda in Iraq.”

It aims to strengthen women’s leadership and participation in decision-making by providing practical training and ongoing opportunities for advocacy and engagement.

The program focuses on women in five Iraqi governorates:

Anbar.
Diyala.
Salahaddin.
Ninewa.
Kirkuk.

Participants will develop skills that can help them engage more effectively with communities, civil society organisations, and local government authorities.

Why the Program Matters

Women’s participation in public decision-making is an important component of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda.

The program seeks to help women:

Strengthen leadership skills.
Develop effective advocacy strategies.
Promote women’s rights.
Participate more actively in public life.
Engage with local decision-makers.
Build relationships with other women leaders.
Support peacebuilding initiatives.
Contribute to community development.
Strengthen women’s civil society networks.

By connecting training with practical advocacy and networking opportunities, the program aims to support longer-term women’s leadership rather than one-time training alone.

What Does the Program Offer?

Selected participants will have access to several forms of support.

Leadership and Advocacy Training

Participants will take part in a two-day in-person training program focused on leadership and advocacy.

The training is intended to strengthen participants’ ability to:

Identify community priorities.
Communicate women’s concerns effectively.
Develop advocacy messages.
Engage stakeholders.
Participate in decision-making processes.
Advocate for women’s rights and participation.

Dialogue and Networking Opportunities

Following the training, participants will have opportunities to participate in:

Dialogue sessions.
Networking activities.
Coordination platforms.
Governorate-level engagement.
Exchanges with other women leaders and organisations.

These activities can help participants build connections and strengthen collective advocacy.

Technical Advocacy Support

The program also provides technical support to help women turn their leadership skills into practical advocacy efforts.

Support may help participants:

Develop advocacy initiatives.
Engage decision-makers.
Communicate priorities.
Strengthen women’s participation in public life.
Coordinate with civil society organisations.
Build sustainable advocacy networks.

Who Is Eligible?

The program is open to women who meet the relevant geographic and participation requirements.

Eligible applicants include:

Women living in Anbar.
Women living in Diyala.
Women living in Salahaddin.
Women living in Ninewa.
Women living in Kirkuk.
Members of UNDP-supported Women Peace Groups.
Representatives of women-led civil society organisations.
Representatives of community-based organisations.
Women committed to advancing women’s rights.
Women interested in peacebuilding.
Women engaged in community development.

The program is particularly relevant to women who want to strengthen their ability to participate in community leadership and advocacy.

Key Focus Areas

The program connects women’s leadership development with several broader priorities.

Women’s Rights

Participants can strengthen their ability to advocate for issues affecting women and promote greater recognition of women’s rights.

Women, Peace and Security

The initiative contributes to the implementation of the WPS agenda, which promotes women’s meaningful participation in peacebuilding, conflict prevention, recovery, and decision-making.

Public Participation

The program seeks to help women engage more effectively with local authorities and participate in discussions affecting their communities.

Civil Society Engagement

Women-led CSOs, CBOs, and Women Peace Groups can use the program to strengthen networks and collaborate on shared priorities.

Community Development

Leadership and advocacy skills can enable participants to identify local challenges and advocate for solutions that benefit women and communities.

How the Program Works

The program follows a combination of training, networking, dialogue, and practical support.

Step 1: Identify Your Eligibility

Confirm that you are a woman from one of the five target governorates:

Anbar.
Diyala.
Salahaddin.
Ninewa.
Kirkuk.

Step 2: Assess Your Interest in Leadership and Advocacy

The program is intended for women interested in strengthening their leadership, advocacy, peacebuilding, women’s rights, or community development skills.

Step 3: Participate in the Two-Day Training

Selected participants attend the in-person leadership and advocacy training.

Step 4: Join Dialogue and Networking Activities

After training, participants can engage in governorate-level dialogue, networking, and coordination opportunities.

Step 5: Apply the Skills in Advocacy

Participants can use the training and technical support to develop advocacy activities and communicate women’s priorities to relevant stakeholders.

Step 6: Engage With Decision-Makers

The program aims to facilitate stronger engagement between women leaders, civil society, and local government authorities.

Who Can Benefit Most From the Program?

The program is particularly suitable for women who:

Want to become stronger community leaders.
Are already involved in women’s rights initiatives.
Participate in Women Peace Groups.
Work with women-led CSOs or CBOs.
Want to engage with local authorities.
Are interested in peacebuilding.
Want to strengthen their advocacy skills.
Are working to improve women’s participation in public life.

What Participants Can Gain

Participants can potentially gain:

Practical leadership skills.
Advocacy knowledge.
Networking opportunities.
Connections with women leaders.
Experience engaging with decision-makers.
Technical support for advocacy activities.
Greater understanding of women’s participation in public life.
Opportunities to contribute to peacebuilding and community development.

Tips for Potential Applicants

Women interested in the program should clearly understand how their experience and interests relate to the program’s objectives.

Applicants can strengthen their participation by:

Clearly describing their interest in women’s rights.
Demonstrating community involvement.
Highlighting leadership or advocacy experience where applicable.
Explaining their interest in peacebuilding.
Showing an understanding of local women’s priorities.
Being prepared to participate in the full training and follow-up activities.
Considering how they could use new advocacy skills within their communities.

UNDP Iraq Leadership and Advocacy Program: Key Facts

Program: Leadership and Advocacy Programme for Women in Iraq.
Organizer: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Iraq.
Project: Catalyzing Women’s Peace Groups and Civil Society Alliances for Sustainable Implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Iraq.
Target: Women.
Target governorates: Anbar, Diyala, Salahaddin, Ninewa, and Kirkuk.
Core training: Two-day in-person leadership and advocacy training.
Additional support: Dialogue, networking, coordination platforms, and technical advocacy support.
Key themes: Women’s rights, leadership, advocacy, peacebuilding, public participation, and community development.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UNDP Iraq Leadership and Advocacy Program?

It is a women’s leadership and advocacy initiative designed to strengthen women’s ability to advocate for their rights, participate in public life, engage with decision-makers, and contribute to peacebuilding and community development.

Who can participate in the program?

Women from Anbar, Diyala, Salahaddin, Ninewa, and Kirkuk can participate if they meet the program’s requirements. Members of Women Peace Groups and representatives of women-led CSOs and CBOs are also eligible groups.

Is the program only for members of Women Peace Groups?

No. While members of UNDP-supported Women Peace Groups are eligible, the program also welcomes women-led CSO and CBO representatives and women committed to women’s rights, peacebuilding, and community development.

What training does the program provide?

Participants receive a two-day in-person leadership and advocacy training designed to strengthen their ability to lead, advocate, engage stakeholders, and promote women’s participation.

What happens after the training?

Participants can take part in dialogue sessions, networking, coordination platforms, and other engagement opportunities within their governorates. Technical support is also available to strengthen advocacy efforts.

Does the program support women’s participation in government decision-making?

Yes. One of the program’s objectives is to help women strengthen advocacy and engage with local government authorities and decision-makers on issues affecting women’s participation and rights.

What is the connection with the Women, Peace and Security agenda?

The program contributes to the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda by strengthening women’s leadership, participation, advocacy, and involvement in peacebuilding and community decision-making.

Conclusion

The UNDP Iraq Leadership and Advocacy Program for Women provides women in Anbar, Diyala, Salahaddin, Ninewa, and Kirkuk with practical opportunities to strengthen leadership and advocacy skills. Through two-day training, dialogue, networking, technical support, and engagement with decision-makers, the initiative aims to build a stronger network of women leaders contributing to women’s rights, peacebuilding, public participation, and community development in Iraq.

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