Tanya Gilly, Vice President of Seed Kurdistan Foundation and former MP in the Iraqi Parliament, discusses why civil society has an important role, not just in times of crisis, and how MERI is fulfilling that role. She recounts that since 1991 there has been a boom in Kurdish civil society, but that there is a need for more creativity and development among the various organisations. She distinguishes MERI as an organisation that has the ability to work within government and society. Ms. Gilly concludes by discussing the work of Seed Foundation, a civil society organisation she co-leads in the Kurdistan Region.