Communications Officer Whether fuelled by political and religious leaders, or the media, hate speech in Iraq taps into deeper problems of structural inequality in society and has been greatly exacerbated by conflict and Covid-19 in recent months, as uncovered by researchers from Independent Media Organization in Kurdistan (IMOK), part of the IDS-led Consortium for Religious Equality and Inclusive Development (CREID) programme. Engaging leaders, training journalists and equipping civil society activists with media literacy may be one way to tackle it. The spread of hate speech is a prominent issue in Iraq with extremely dangerous effects, particularly given the fragile security, political and social environment of the country. Day after day, there is a significant production of divisive and polarising content targeting certain groups, especially minorities, increasing their vulnerability and provoking hatred and discrimination, risking further social and political conflict.