Funding Entity: The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA International), with support from the German Federal Foreign Office. Implementing Entity: STEP Organization for Democracy and Elections.
Project Title: Combating Hate Speech in Electoral Campaigns for the 2025 Council of Representatives Elections.
Objective: As part of joint efforts, STEP Organization for Democracy and Elections worked in close collaboration with Shams Network, Ain Network, the Kurdish Institute for Elections (KIE), the Alliance of Iraqi Minorities Network (AIM), and Tammuz Organization to combat hate speech during the pre-election period, as well as to monitor and document violations during the electoral campaign period for the 2025 Iraqi Council of Representatives elections.
Target Groups: Youth voters, women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Project Duration: 75 days, from 15/09/2025 to 30/11/2025.
Project Budget: USD 9,500.
Geographical Scope: Nineveh and Duhok governorates.
Number of Beneficiaries: 7,156 individuals.
Scope of Work
Coordinating among the above-mentioned organizations in the implementation of the project.
2.Participating in the implementation of activities with relevant stakeholders.
3.Coordinating with the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) when necessary.
4.Contributing to the drafting of messages, texts, notes, and documents required for implementing activities.
5.Organizing a dialogue session within the electoral district in Nineveh governorate between political parties and electoral alliances participating in the electoral process, aimed at highlighting a shared national identity and the importance of rejecting sectarian discourse and hate speech in elections. The session was broadcast live عبر social media platforms.
6.Contributing to defining the scope of monitoring work, including detailed operational protocols, team structure, methodology, and guiding principles.
7.Participating in monitoring cases of hate speech and electoral violence during the electoral process in Nineveh and Duhok governorates. Four observers were contracted to monitor violations and breaches of electoral campaign regulations.
8.Producing and publishing a video in Kurdish addressing the rejection of violence and hate speech in Iraqi elections, and disseminating it social media in collaboration with partner organizations.
9.Promoting, through the organization’s channels (online and field-based), all initiatives and digital content produced by the collaboration team.
Participating in coordination meetings among partner organizations to follow up on project implementation, each within its designated electoral districts.
Contributing to the preparation of periodic reports and the final report on monitoring hate speech cases in the electoral campaigns of candidates, political parties, and electoral alliances for the 2025 parliamentary elections.
