Iraqi Observatory For Human Rights (IOHR)

What Iraqi Observatory For Human Rights (IOHR) does

The Iraqi Observatory For Human Rights (IOHR) is an Iraqi non-governmental organization founded in 2014 and headquartered in Baghdad that monitors and documents human rights violations across the country. It serves vulnerable populations including Iraqi civilians, journalists, human rights defenders, women, and children, building provincial-level presence through a trained volunteer network spanning all Iraqi provinces except the Kurdistan Region.

Its core operational product is a documentation and reporting platform built around a public website and a WhatsApp-based intake channel that allow victims and witnesses to submit allegations of violations. IOHR processes these submissions and publishes periodic reports that are directly cited by international bodies including the UNHCR, the US State Department, and major international media outlets. The underlying technology is a basic content management system with WhatsApp integration; no proprietary AI, analytics, or automation capabilities are indicated in the available evidence.

The business model is that of a non-profit NGO funded primarily through grants from international democracy and human rights funders — most notably the National Endowment for Democracy, with documented support in 2017–2018 — supplemented by donations. Revenue mechanics are not publicly disclosed. The organization operates with a lean core staff of approximately nine full-time employees supported by roughly 87 trained volunteers, and its governance board includes academics affiliated with Rutgers University and the London School of Economics.

Name

Iraqi Observatory For Human Rights (IOHR)

Legal name

Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights

Website

https://iohriq.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Iraqi Observatory For Human Rights (IOHR) is a Baghdad-based non-profit founded in 2014 that documents human rights violations across Iraq via a volunteer network and reports findings to international bodies and media.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Rights Advocacy and Monitoring

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Human Rights Monitoring, Documentation & Advocacy (BPADAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Media Freedom, Access to Information & Digital Rights (BPADAGAE)

Keywords

• Human rights monitoring
• Civil society advocacy
• Rights documentation
• Press freedom advocacy
• Civil society organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Baghdad

HQ country

Iraq

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: In early years, office costs were covered through individual donations from staff members. IOHR is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization.
2. Project-Based Funding from International Partners: Currently supported through projects with international partners. Does not accept funding from political parties, religious groups, or companies to maintain independence.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IOHR monitors and documents human rights violations across Iraq through a nationwide network of volunteers and sources in all Iraqi provinces except Kurdistan. The organization publishes reports, press releases, policy briefs, and studies on issues including press freedom, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and women's rights, and conducts advocacy on behalf of victims. It also provides training for activists and journalists on fact-checking and operates the Council of Rights and Freedoms coalition convened with over 100 civil society organizations.

Product overview

The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights (IOHR) operates as a unified digital platform for human rights monitoring and documentation in Iraq, rather than a traditional technology product company. The organization's offerings center on its website (iohriq.org) which serves as a centralized hub for publishing reports, press releases, studies, and statements documenting human rights violations across Iraq. The platform features distinct content sections including Our Reports, Environment, and Child and Woman focus areas, along with a video gallery. IOHR also maintains an Arabic-language version of the site (iohriq.org/ar/). The Council of Rights and Freedoms (CRF) was established as an initiative by IOHR to convene civil society organizations for protecting rights and freedoms. The organization relies on a volunteer network and produces annual reports, policy briefs, and ad hoc statements on human rights situations throughout Iraq.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IOHR Website Platform Web-based documentation and publication platform serving as IOHR's primary hub for publishing human rights reports, press releases, studies, and statements covering violations across Iraq. Targeted at journalists, civil society, international organizations, and the Iraqi public.
• Arabic Website (العربية) Arabic-language version of the IOHR website providing the same human rights documentation content in Arabic to serve Arabic-speaking audiences across Iraq and the MENA region.
• WhatsApp Reporting Channel WhatsApp-based channel enabling individuals across Iraq to confidentially report human rights violations to IOHR. Used by civilians, journalists, activists, and victims to initiate advocacy and documentation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 475 TV interviews conducted by IOHR Director since 2014
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Council of Rights and Freedoms (CRF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 May 2026CRF was formed on May 16, 2026, as an initiative by IOHR with participation of more than 100 civil society organizations, human rights defenders, activists, legal experts, and media professionals, aimed at strengthening rights and freedoms in Iraq.
• Gulf Center for Human RightscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint statements and collaborative advocacy on human rights issues affecting Iraq. Supported IOHR's 2017 torture report.
• Iraqi Network for Social Media (INSM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint statements on freedom of expression and protection of journalists in Iraq.
• PEN Center in IraqminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint advocacy for freedom of expression and protection of writers and journalists.
• Metro Centre for Journalists' RightsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint statements on journalist safety and media freedom issues.
• UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees)minorOthersInternational organization that relies on IOHR data and reports for human rights documentation.
• US State DepartmentminorOthersUS State Department relies on IOHR data for annual human rights reports on Iraq.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Human Rights Watch: Global human rights organization that produces in-depth country reports on Iraq and is a primary source for international policy actors. Comparable in output type and citation footprint, though at vastly greater scale.
• Amnesty International: Global human rights organization that publishes annual reports and urgent action appeals on Iraq. Comparable as a research-and-advocacy counterweight, but operates at global rather than country-specific scale.

Direct peers

• Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: A UK-based conflict monitor that uses a network of local sources to document casualties and rights violations across Syria. Closely comparable to IOHR in operating model: founder-led, network-driven documentation of violations in a conflict-affected Middle East state, with outputs consumed by international media and policy bodies.
• Reporters Without Borders (RSF): Paris-based NGO that tracks press freedom violations globally and produces an annual country ranking. Comparable to IOHR's press freedom reports on Iraq and its use by international policy actors.
• Gulf Center for Human Rights: A Beirut-based regional NGO that documents human rights violations against activists, journalists, and writers across the Gulf and Iraq. Already an IOHR partner; comparable in mission, regional scope, and reliance on joint advocacy statements.
• Iraqi Network for Social Media (INSM): Iraqi civil society organization focused on digital rights and freedom of expression. Comparable to IOHR's digital and press freedom documentation work and is already a joint-statement partner.
• Metro Centre for Journalists' Rights: Amman-based organization that documents violations against journalists in the Arab world. An existing IOHR partner with overlapping mission and donor base.
• Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): International press freedom organization that documents attacks on journalists and is a primary cited source in U.S. State Department and UN reporting. Directly comparable to IOHR's journalism-focused documentation work and donor ecosystem.

Emerging players

• PEN Center in Iraq: Iraqi chapter of PEN International focused on writers' and journalists' free expression. Directly comparable in advocacy themes and is a current IOHR partner.

Regional players

• Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies: Egypt-based regional human rights think tank focused on MENA, including Iraq. Comparable in regional human rights research, advocacy, and coalition work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iohriraq
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iraqi-observatory-for-human-rights-iohr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Iraqi Observatory For Human Rights (IOHR)