Strengthening Social Cohesion in the Nineveh Plains of Iraq: Issues of Common Concern and Local Cooperative Solutions

When the Islamic State was in control of the Nineveh Plains of Iraq between 2014 and 2017, it sought to destroy the region’s cultural diversity by targeting ethnic and religious communities and their ways of life. This has severely undermined social cohesion in the region. Mending intercommunity relations is therefore a peacebuilding priority. For peacebuilding to be sustainable, however, the engagement of community members is crucial. This SIPRI Research Policy Paper highlights some of the issues of common concern to communities in the Nineveh Plains and presents local cooperative solutions proposed by community members during intercommunity dialogue meetings. With adequate support from the relevant national and international actors, they offer opportunities for inclusive peacebuilding driven and owned by local communities and anchored in their everyday life.