BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
This is the second phase of a technical assistance and capacity building project in the housing and housing finance sectors.The project continues the process of capacity building, policy and legal reform, and will be a mechanism for supporting the Ministry of Construction and Housing to effectively participate in the International Compact for Iraq process.The objectives were to assist the Ministry:

• With the design and implementation of a comprehensive housing information system.
• With the design of a new institutional and legal framework for the housing sector, which will include new legislation, policies and programmes in the areas of building materials and construction, housing finance and micro-finance, subsidy mechanisms, land and housing delivery systems, and housing market information systems.
• Support the establishment of a knowledge and training centre to provide training, advisory and information services to a wide constituency of stakeholders.

ACTIVITIES
The main activities have been:

• Consultations, workshops and regional conference.
• Advisory services.
• Training and exposure,
• Design and content development
• Procurement of equipment, software and publications.

RESULTS
The project witnessed significant progress in completing the training of trainers activities and the media workshop and is expected to meet all the stated outputs. Specific results are:

• Data regarding the Housing Fund and Housing Commission have been collected as part of the process of establishing the urban observatory.
• Consultancy firm to advise on Housing Policy Reform.
• Four debates and four documentaries on different housing issues broadcast on Iraqi T.V. Another documentary under preparation. Regional media workshop on housing Issues took place in June 2008 in Amman.
• Field information collected and surveys conducted on housing strategies for three selected cities.These were discussed with governorate stakeholders in April 2008.
• TOT for 23 trainers of the Training and Knowledge Centre completed in Cairo