In a step that reflects young people’s awareness of their role in driving social change, the “Youth Connect” team in Mosul, under the umbrella of the Public Aid Organization (PAO) in Nineveh, implemented a qualitative initiative titled “Your Voice is Heard,” which lasted for 20 days and aimed to empower persons with disabilities and special needs to convey their voices and demands to relevant government authorities.
The initiative was launched as part of the “Youth Connect” project activities, where the team focused on building direct bridges between citizens and decision-makers through practical and effective mechanisms, most notably the use of complaint and appeal boxes as an organized tool to collect and formally transfer citizens’ demands to the relevant authorities.
The initiative covered more than five key government institutions related to the targeted groups’ needs across the sectors of health, education, pensions, social welfare, and youth and sports. This was done in direct coordination with the Nineveh Governorate Office – Citizens’ Complaints Department to ensure follow-up and effective response.
The initiative went through several key stages, including holding a comprehensive coordination meeting to develop the implementation plan, creating social media platforms to enhance community engagement, coordinating with government institutions and obtaining official approvals, conducting training sessions for institutions on complaint reception mechanisms, and distributing and installing five complaint boxes within the targeted institutions.
“Your Voice is Heard” contributed to creating a safe and organized space for expressing the needs of persons with disabilities. It also strengthened a culture of community participation and transparency within government institutions and opened direct communication channels that contribute to improving service delivery quality.
The initiative confirms that young people are capable of driving real change when equipped with the right tools and support, and that including vulnerable groups in community dialogue is a fundamental step toward building a more just and responsive society.
