Civic Space in the Arab Region

This observatory seeks to cover and analyze civil society news in the Arab region, and to keep up with civil society in all its challenges and transitions
Algeria: Growing Restrictions on Political Participation, Freedom of Association and Expression Bahrain: Growing Restrictions on Civic Space and Fundamental Freedoms Egypt: Civil Society Developments Iraq: Escalating Restrictions on Civic Space, Press Freedom, and Peaceful Assembly Lebanon: Growing Concerns over Freedom of Expression and Journalism amid Political and Security Developments Libya: the challenges facing the exercise of fundamental freedoms continued Mauritania: Between the expansion of civil society and the decline of civil liberties Morocco: Growing challenges to freedom of expression, organization, and assembly Palestine: Civil space under occupation and internal restrictions Sudan: Civil space under the weight of war and multiple de facto authorities Tunisia: Civic Space Under Growing Pressure Amid Continued Public Mobilization Yemen: Civic Freedoms Under Pressure Across Divided Areas of Control The Arab NGO Network for Development’s Position on Lebanon’s New Media Law May 2026 May 2026 May 2026 May 2026 May 2026 May 2026 May 2026
National Reports (Iraq)

Iraq: National Report on Civic Space

2023
The early Council of Representatives elections on October 10, 2021 were a pivotal event in Iraq. The hope was that these elections would be the first step to exit the dysfunctional political reality and to transition towards a system of governance based on the concept of political majority. However, that was not actually the case. The results of the elections instead reflected these increasingly severe social divisions, and they may portend a deterioration of the current situation to unimaginable levels.