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Oxfam is an international confederation counting 17 organizations working together with partners and local communities in more than 90 countries.

Oxfam has been working in Iraq since the 1990s with both an expanding and contracting presence. In 2014, Oxfam established its first office in Mosul when the conflict with ISIS began and the country was thrown into a new humanitarian crisis, in an already fragile context. In 2021, Oxfam is amongst the largest NGOs operating in the country. With nine offices and almost 200 employees.

Oxfam in Iraq's strategy is shaped around 3 key pillars 1) Humanitarian response 2) Governance and 3) Equality. Within each of these pillars, intervention covers the following sectors: Emergency Food Security and Vulnerable Livelihoods, Water and Sanitation and Hygiene, Gender and Protection, Emergency lifesaving support, and Local Humanitarian Leadership.

In this framework, Oxfam in Iraq has recently launched a new project, Masarouna, aiming at supporting young peoples advocacy to achieve their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). The program is implemented in six countries/territories of the MENA region. Masarouna identifies two main interlinked pathways to achieve the desired change. Pathway 1 is focused on the direct influencing of decision-makers and society to address inadequate legislation and harmful traditional social and cultural norms through strengthened youth engagement. Pathway 2 is focused on strengthening civil society, reclaiming civic space, and formation of new partnerships and alliances.

In the specific context of Iraq, young people face a series of challenges that limit their full enjoyment of SRHR: lack of evidence-based information about SRHR, limited access to information, lack of YP-friendly SRHR services, discrimination etc...

In this context, the Masarouna project in Iraq supports YP in accessing comprehensive information about SRHR, with a specific geographical focus on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Through increased knowledge and the building of alliances and solidarity, Masarouna in Iraq will equip YP individuals to demand their SRHR and create a supportive environment to enjoy them.

Under the Masarouna project, Oxfam in Iraq and the project partners will be working with Young People (YP) to influence decision-makers and different actors of society to address legislation and transform social norms. In addition to creating a lasting systemic and behavioral change while addressing root causes and barriers preventing YP from claiming their SRHR. Furthermore, it will work toward mobilizing, engaging, and building relationships with the communities we work with, starting from the designing process and up to the implementation of the project influencing Strategy. The project influencing work will also include knowledge sharing, creating spaces for engagement and dialogue, and building networks and alliances.

Overall, the influencing work with partners and allies under the project will aim to:

Cultivate active citizenship by working with young people, underrepresented groups, and social movements to increase their participation in decision-making spaces and secure their rights.

Provide young people with knowledge and skills to participate in decision-making spaces and work with citizens, partners, civil society, and duty bearers to better engage with young people.

Shift narratives on SRHR issues that concern young people in MENA to open space for policy change through communications, media networking, and the use of influence.

Transform public and official attitudes, social norms, and behaviors of the public and officials that deny SRHR and prevent policy implementation.

Link national-level youth-led activities to relevant regional and global influencing activities within the domain of Gender Justice and SRHR.

The Consultancy's overall objective is to develop an Iraq contextualized SRHR influencing strategy for the Masarouna project to support the design and implementation of the influencing interventions under the project. This will include the activities implemented by the Oxfam team and the project partners.

The Consultant is expected to develop the Strategy through the following methodology:

- Study the already available documentation on SRHR within the context of Iraq and KRI. Documentation consists of Masarouna baseline documents, Masarouna global influencing strategy.

- Conduct an additional comprehensive and extensive desk review on SRHR within the context of Iraq and KRI. This should include specifications of the context, gaps, and opportunities. The context analysis should provide strong insights into the social, cultural, religious, and legal environment in which SRHR exists in Iraq and KRI. It will also provide a comprehensive analysis of stakeholders and YPs perception, understanding, and ability to advocate for their SRHR rights.

- Conduct consultation meetings, which will guide the development of the Strategy, with different stakeholders, including:

members of national civil society,

members of the international community,

different and diverse groups of the community, including YP,

Oxfam team includes the project team in Iraq, regional teams, and relevant members of Oxfam affiliates,

relevant authorities' representatives,

- Conduct 2-3 workshops with identified stakeholders, mainly Oxfam team, Oxfam partners, and YP, and relevant members of the national civil society, and international community if relevant to develop the Strategy's objective and framework. The number of workshops can be adjusted according to the consultant's workplan.

- Develop a comprehensive influencing strategy with, but not limited to, clear objectives, stakeholder analysis, messages and indicators, and risk analysis.

- The Consultant will present the draft strategy through a validation work plan with the representatives of the groups who were part of the consultation meetings.

Oxfam will provide all relevant documents under the Masarouna project, including the project proposal, baseline assessment, and an in-depth analysis carried out by the implementing partners.

The Consultant is expected to commit to the following deliverables:

Inception report outlining the methodological approach and detailed understanding of the assignment (max. 10 pages).

Comprehensive and complete influencing strategy. The structure and content of the Strategy will need to be agreed on beforehand with Oxfam team.

At least 3 consultation sessions/meetings with stakeholders, partners and YP's representatives

At least 1 validation workshop.

Debriefing session with Oxfam team.

A final report indicating the summary of the activities, achievements, challenges, and lessons learned.

The Masarouna Project Manager in coordination with the Policy, Advocacy, and Communications Manager, who will provide technical and practical supervision of the assignment.

Oxfam will be responsible for covering the following costs:

The venue, meals, and other needs for implementing the consultation meetings and workshops..

Media & photos etc.

Follow-up on action plans developed and status of scaling.

The Consultant will be responsible for covering the following costs:

All transportation and logistics-related costs for the Consultant and the team if valid.

Accommodation throughout the duration.

Stationary and other material support that are required during the training.

In case of an international consultant, visa and tickets.

The Consultant will be paid the agreed rate upon satisfactory completion of the assignment, including submission of deliverables and reports as per the below schedule:

40% will be paid upon signing the contract.

40% will be paid upon delivering the training.

20% will be paid after the submission and approval of the final reports.

The consultancy is expected to be carried out in a period of 30 days. The timeline can be extended and the number of working days can be refined based on the Consultant's work plan, nevertheless, early delivery is considered a plus.

The Consultant should submit a full financial plan, considering the financial elements mentioned in point 7.

The following key technical requirements will be taken into consideration when assessing consultants' technical competencies:

University degree in journalism, community development and communication studies, sociology, or other relevant fields.

The Consultant should have proven previous experience in conducting similar training and working with similar groups.

Proven skills and experience in developing influencing strategies.

High proficiency in understanding Iraq's context, SRHR, and influencing for it.

Familiarity with constraints and challenges encountered while working on similar topics.

Strong English skills, Kurdish and Arabic are recommended as policy documents and other governmental documents might be available in Kurdish or Arabic language.

11. Scoring criteria for selection of the service provider/consultant

SN Criteria Weight % Evaluation method

1 Technical proposal 70 % Review of the technical proposal

2 Financial proposal 30 % Review of the financial proposal

Total 100 %

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested individuals or consultancy firms with relevant experience and skills based on the ToR can submit their Expression of Interest (EOI), including the following:

Cover letter of no more than 1 page introducing the consultant/company and intention to deliver the assignment. The cover letter should also indicate the consultants' availability for the proposed period.

Technical proposal should provide details on the proposed methodology responding to the ToR and the deliverables in line with the competencies required for the assignment, including references to experience with similar assignments; a work plan detailing the anticipated timeline to undertake the assignment and finalize the deliverables, clearly indicating the dates of delivery; CVs of the consultant/consulting team directly involved in the assignment, including their specific roles; and three professional referees. A technical proposal should not be longer than 10 pages, excluding annexes.

Financial proposal includes a full budget of the offer, covering all major anticipated costs.

Statement on the willingness to follow Oxfam's Code of Conduct and guidance regarding safe programming.

Please submit the EOI and other documents by midnight Iraq time on the 16th of August toprocurementiraq@OXFAM.org.uk with Development of Iraq contextualized SRHR Influencing Strategy in the subject line. No EOIs will be accepted after the deadline.

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Consultant - Development of an Iraq contextualized Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Influencing Strategy - Iraq - ReliefWeb

BAGHDAD -- A chlorine gas leak at a water purification plant in southern Iraq injured at least 300 people, officials said Monday.

The incident happened Sunday night when the potentially fatal gas leaked from a container in the plant in the district of Qal'at Sukkar north of the southern city of Nasiriyah.

Hundreds of people suffering severe respiratory distress from exposure to the chlorine were taken to a nearby hospital, said Abbas Jaber, Dhi Qar province's deputy governor.

He said a committee was formed by the governor Monday to investigate the circumstances surrounding the leak. The negligent (officials) will be held accountable, he said.

Dhi Qar is among Iraq's poorest and and historically most underdeveloped provinces. Residents complain of a lack of electricity and access to drinking water. It has been a hotbed of anti-government protest and many youths from the province participated in the mass 2019 protest movement, the largest in Iraq's modern history.

Public safety hazards have struck the beleaguered city before. Last year, over 90 people, patients and health care workers were killed when a fire broke out in Nasiriyah's al-Hussein Teaching Hospital. Officials blamed lack of safety measures and negligence.

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Chlorine gas leak in Iraq's south injures at least 300 - ABC News

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi authorities are preparing to inaugurate the Al-Quwair Bridge, the longest bridge in the country, after a five-year closure because it collapsed during the war against ISIS.

Al-Quwair Bridge is one of the main roads between the city of Mosul and Kurdistan capital, Erbil.

Al-Quwair Bridge will be re-opened on Tuesday, July 5, on a trial basis, after it was closed in early 2017 during the war against ISIS terrorist group, the Mayor of Mosul, Amin Finsh, said.

Al-Quwair Bridge is the longest bridge in Iraq, and its reopening will have an impact on the level of trade exchange and transportation between Nineveh governorate and Kurdistan Region, Finsh explained.

The bridge is 1.14 kilometers long and is located on the Tigris River. In 2014, ISIS invaded the city of Mosul and declared its control over nearly one third of the area of Iraq.

In 2017, the Iraqi security forces, in cooperation with the Peshmerga forces, carried out a security operation to clear the country of ISIS militants, and were able to regain control of the city of Mosul and the rest of the areas controlled by ISIS terrorists.

ISIS militants blew up the bridge at that time to block the way in front of the Iraqi security forces and prevent them from advancing further towards areas under their control.

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Longest bridge in Iraq to be re-opened - Iraqi News

Jeffrey Stenbom smooths out an inch-wide piece of fabric sliced off his old Army uniform and attaches it to his loom. That strip of fabric he knots with another strip ripped off a different military uniform, then he weaves the fabric through the loom's warp thread, which is parachute cord.

Over and over, the Iraq War veteran and art instructor at Normandale Community College repeats the meditative motions of weaving. One strand of fabric is from a World War I uniform he bought off eBay; the next is from an Army combat uniform his grandfather wore during World War II in Europe; the next is from Air Force coveralls worn by his other grandfather, who served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

This will eventually become an American flag woven from uniforms from every military conflict the U.S. has engaged in since World War I. It's one of 10 pieces of art commissioned by USAA, the military-focused financial services company, which will be displayed at each of USAA's 10 regional offices.

But Stenbom's largest work a 25-by-12-foot American flag that took 1,200 hours to weave is already complete, displayed at the San Antonio International Airport for the next six months for USAA's 100th anniversary. It will then permanently move to USAA's San Antonio headquarters.

"So much history," Stenbom says, holding part of a World War I uniform. "There's so many stories, untold stories, with each of these uniforms."

You may assume Stenbom's story is a simple story of veteran patriotism.

That is partly true. The message of the "Freedom's Threads" flags he wove for USAA is straightforward: Stenbom wants to ensure the sacrifices of military veterans are not forgotten. There's symbolism in interlocking all these veterans' histories.

But look deeper and Stenbom's story is as tortured and complicated as his dark, powerful art.

The 44-year-old Apple Valley father of three is primarily a glass sculptor. One of his pieces is a glass replica of the combat boots he wore in Iraq, resting in a bed of 5.56-millimeter rifle casings. Another is a sculpture that mashes up a grenade and a human brain. Another is a display of 7,300 glass dog tags, the number of U.S. veteran suicides each year.

Stenbom's art lives in that darkness. His darkness stemmed from a harrowing deployment early in the Iraq War that left him with post-traumatic stress disorder.

"It's not just bringing awareness to the sacrifices," he said. "It's the aftermath of war, PTSD, veteran suicide. That stuff is not pretty. I'm not into making pretty artwork. I do a lot of stuff that talks about death. I was around it all the time. I do a lot of stuff with skulls. My fiancee and my parents, they're like, 'I know you made this stuff, but it's just so sad!' [But] I need to do this. It's part of helping me deal with the things I've gone through. Before I did art, I was lost."

He wants his art to cast light in the darkness, because that's what art did for him.

**

Stenbom was taking a break from college when 9/11 happened. Eight days later, he signed up for the Army. By the end of September, he was in basic training. He trained to be a cavalry scout, the eyes and ears of the Army: go out in your Humvee and track down the bad guys.

He was deployed to Kosovo in 2002, then in February 2004 went to Iraq as a squad leader with seven soldiers under him. He was just north of Samarra, living in old grain storage bins in the heart of the Sunni Triangle, when the insurgency heated up that spring. His base was hit by rockets and mortars almost daily.

"I remember the first time being shot at, and it was like, 'What the heck?' " he recalled. "Then it shifted. The days you didn't get shot at became the weird days. That was when you knew that things weren't right."

Soldiers struggled with heat and the lack of sleep, but the worst part was the uncertainty. Insurgents didn't wear uniforms. Americans never knew who the enemy was. Once, an improvised explosive device, or IED, exploded next to Stenbom's Humvee, lodging shrapnel in his hip. Another July day, a suicide bomber attacked a base where Stenbom had been the night before. Six U.S. soldiers died.

While he was in Iraq, Stenbom's first son was born. In August, he went on R&R to meet his son, and his sister died by suicide back home. All the emotions piled up and broke him. He was suicidal. He tore up an ER when military doctors told him he had to return to Iraq.

With assistance from military psychiatrists, he was sent back to the United States. He was filled with rage. Some of it was feeling duped by a war on false pretenses; some of it was transitioning from war zone to home front. Once, at his parents' house, he threw a table against the fireplace, shattering it. He didn't know why he did it. His grandfather took him for help.

Stenbom knew he wanted to go back to school. On a whim, he took a fused-glass art class at Normandale Community College. Spending hours fusing shards of glass together pushed war from his mind.

"This started giving me a passion and a drive and a focus, energizing me like hadn't happened since before the war," he said. "I got lucky. If it wasn't for this one class, I don't think I'd be here, man. I'm positive I'd be dead."

**

Now armed with a master's degree from Tulane University, Stenbom teaches the same class he credits with saving his life. At the beginning of every semester, he tells students about his path. He tells them he used to be a nontraditional student, like some in his class. And he talks about how art like these American flags woven from military uniforms saved his life.

"That isn't just fabric," said Taylor Clark, a retired Navy officer and the executive sponsor of USAA's 100th Anniversary. "Each one is a different story of commitment and honor and service."

The giant flag at San Antonio International Airport weighs 100 pounds. It includes 6,500 feet of parachute cord and fabric from 140 military uniforms of all six military branches.

"There is something sad about it," Stenbom said. "I'm deconstructing these uniforms pulling them apart, cutting them up and there's a lot of history in there."

Sometimes, when he tears off the pockets, things spill out. An N-95 mask. Tobacco that was never used. Grains of dirt or sand from a far-off land. Stenbom always wonders about the stories contained within, and how similar they are to his own.

"My mission is to bring awareness to the sacrifice," he said. "That's what my art is about making sure the message is being delivered. I want people to think about all these stories."

Link:
Iraq War veteran uses art to cope with PTSD - Star Tribune

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham spent his 4th of July in Iraq, according to a tweet Monday.

Im honored to be visiting with our troops today, Graham wrote. Its a great day to be an American and spend time with the brave men and women who keep us safe.

The message was posted with a handful of American flag emojis.

He posted four photos with the tweets, including him in an aircraft, a picture of him shaking hands with troops and a shot of him posing for a group photo in front of a flag.

Thank you as well to our diplomats who work to protect and secure American interests around the world, the tweet reads. Keep safe and have a great 4th of July!

The day before, Graham posted from Turkey, writing that While we have had a problematic relationship at times, it is imperative Turkey and the US take steps to strengthen ties between our two nations.

He applauded Joe Bidens administration for selling F-16s to the Turkish Air Force, stating that the jets will help support U.S. security.

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Sen. Lindsey Graham tweets 4th of July message from Iraq - WBTW