Sasa is a civil society and a political organization. As an officially registered NGO, it is  specialized in the political field, focusing on  empowering and enabling Iraqi Youth in their political and civil participation.

 Sasa was established in response to the growth of a generation of educated, politically and socially engaged Iraqi youth who save no effort to positively build the future of their country.

 According to Sasa, the energy and passion of these young activists deserves to be praised and encouraged, organized and developed through the organization programs and work – be they participating in the political scene through the political process, independently, through protest movements, or through civil society organizations. 

Sasa offers an opportunity  to learn highly advanced techniques in civil and political participation, and encourages the exchange of ideas between the youth and the decision-makers to include youth in public politics. 

“Peace is the base for the stability of States and an important foundation for the destiny of societies. And in its absence, conflict prevails, stability disappears and opportunities for development from education and health are reduced”  states   Nour Al-Huda Saad, head of Sasa organization for enhancing the political participation of youth, in a research published in collaboration with the Bayan Center for Studies and Planning.

She touches on the structural and societal challenges faced by women candidates who, nevertheless, made progress in the issue of women’s political participation, as 97 women became parliamentarians during the last elections. She also tackles the main problems that should be addressed by the next Parliament to resolve the structural and societal challenges facing women in times of elections, while focusing on most notably the gender gap in political life in Iraq. in a discussion about results of the October elections regarding women candidates.

Image taken from Sasa Website

Sasa’s Mission: 

• Creating links between youth and the government for a better democratic experience.
• Including the youth in the decision making process.
• Raising Awareness 
• Conducting Political research and analysis.
• Promoting Iraqi youth politics.
• Enhancing political development.

Their Vision:

Building democracy through promoting pluralism, rights and freedoms, by pushing Iraqi youth into leadership positions, to achieve political reform and to build institutes and politics that provides the citizens with their rights despite their background and beliefs.

Their Values:

• Long term commitment.
• Impartiality and objectivity.
• Inclusiveness.
• Accountability and transparency.
• Diversity and pluralism.
• Freedom.
• Leadership and innovation.

Sasa’s Division:

• SASA CLUB: THE SECTION CONCERNED WITH DIALOGUE TO ENHANCE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS BETWEEN THE YOUTH AND THE DECISION-MAKERS.
• THE YOUTH POLICY LABORATORY: THE DEPARTMENT IN CHARGE OF PREPARING RESEARCHES AND STUDIES THAT FOCUS ON INCLUDING THE YOUTH IN GENERAL POLITICS..
• WOMEN IN POLITICS: A SECTION THAT FOCUSES ON BRIDGING THE GENDER GAP IN IRAQI POLITICAL LIFE..
• POLITICAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OBSERVATORY: A SECTION CONCERNED WITH MONITORING THE POLITICAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS, THEN PUBLISHING THEM IN REPORTS.

Activities and Events:

Some highlights on Sasa’s activities: :

• Policy paper presentation on minority rights in Iraq by “Sargis Youkhna” a founding member of “Sasa” in the ICSSI 2022 conference in Sulaymaniyah. The policy paper tackles civil and political participation of minorities in Iraq, how to include them and enhance their participation in the public space and promote citizenship in a multi-ethnic country like Iraq.

• Discussion on citizenship and political participation of minorities in Iraq with advisor head parliament for minorities affairs at the opening event of the Iraqi Social Forum 2021 season. The session was moderated by Sargis Youkhna with 20 more activists, as the issue being discussed, they have concluded that quota system under its current form as a form of political manipulation that enables the powerful non-minority blocs to snatch the quota seats introduced ostensibly to give them political representation.