Iraqi Al-Amal Association organised a training workshop for the students of the Economics and Administration College at Kufa University within the framework of cooperation between the Association and the University on the 4th May 2016 where 35 students participated in addition to a number of teaching staff.

The workshop aimed raising the awareness of those who are at the age of marriage about many topics which could reduce conflicts and divorce. The workshop included the development of knowledge in the most important of which are: choosing a proper partner, build the social relationship between the couples, understanding the psychological characteristics, the importance of compromise, and Prenuptialmedical test, in addition to the economical skills in married life and a number of other related topics in building a healthy relationship.

At the end of the workshop a survey was conducted about the importance of training young men and women who are about to get married. The questions focused on their belief of the need for preparing young men and women with the marriage-life skills, the length of the course, the training materials and the right institutions to undertake such training. The participants emphasized the importance of widening the participation in these courses and urging the official institutions to undertake the programme since it is in theirs and their family’s best interest, and would results in decreasing social problems and reducing divorce rates.

Iraqi Al-Amal Association / Erbil Office organized a training course on Information Technology (IT) in its office in Erbil where a number of keen people participated. The course lasted for 3 days from 27^th to 30^th April 2016.

Training during the course included the use of Microsoft Office, typing and editing, (Word) and the use of (Excel) in creating tables and organising data. The participants also learned the basic skills of preparing a presentation using slideshow (PowerPoint). The training aimed at acquiring the participants with the skills in using these most used IT programs which are essential for job seekers.

It should be noted that the office will continue to organize training courses for the purpose of helping those who want to increase their skills in using computers.  

Iraqi Al-Amal Association / Najaf office held a training workshop on family violence in conjunction with the College of Economics and Administration at Kufa university on 13 April 2016 attended by a number of the college staff and students.

The family violence topic, it’s reasons and the danger of early marriage were discussed at the workshop in addition to introducing the participants to the goals and activities of Iraqi Al-Amal Association. These topics were discussed with the participants, focusing on the reasonsfor the increase in the divorce cases in the province and the role of the domestic violence and early marriage in these cases. The office staff and the office manager, lawyer Muhammed Abdulridha facilitated and managed the workshop.

It is hoped that these workshops about various topics on human rights would continue in conjunction with Kufa University. It was agreed that a workshop would be organized every Wednesday about a selected topic.

On a similar level, and within the goal of empowering woman, Najaf Office organized driving lessons for women during April in conjunction with the trainer Harith Muntadher. A Silent Witness Exhibition was setup along with the course which told stories about the woman and her reality.

•The Organisation of training courses on conducting interviews and writing résumés for the 46 staff members, whose contracts had expired with the World Health Organization, during the months of August and September of 2004.

•The Organisation of a training course in Amman in September 2005, on the management of human resources and projects, in which twenty activists from IAA and non-governmental organisations participated.
•In February 2006, IAA organized a training workshop in Beirut, on advocacy, campaigning and networking among NGO’s, in which 18 leaders in various women’s organisations participated.

•During August 2006, IAA organized, in Karbala, a Training Workshop on (human resource management and project management of NGO’s), which was attended by 25 representatives from a number of NGO’s in Karbala, Najaf, Babil, Muthanna , Diwaniya and Wasit.

•In 2006, IAA nominated five human rights and civil society activists in Baghdad, for a course on human rights via the Internet, with the Norwegian University Boscrod, and with the support of the Norwegian People’s Aid organisation, which lasted two years. The participants received, in October 2008, a Diploma in Human rights and multiculturalism, and conflict management.

•In September 2007, four IAA interns participated in a workshop for writing and formulation projects, which was held in Amman, and then it was followed by an additional workshop, with the support of (ESCWA). As a result of the workshop a project on non-formal education of human rights in schools was written. The United Nations agencies are to support this project in the future.

•During 2007, 8 activists in the program of civil dialogue among young people, participated in the courses held by the Strategic Studies Institute in Beirut, each course was for a month, aiming to develop the potential of academic research among young participants.

•In March 2007, IAA Organized in Karbala, a course to develop skills in photography and video, in which (26) men and women participated.

• According to the Association’s strategy in training workers of security agencies, the Ministry of Interior was approached,
and they welcomed the proposal. The first experience began for three weeks in the month of December 2007, with the training of 59 officers, participating in the training course of the Agency of information and national investigations. The training included training on the concepts of citizenship, the government and the constitution, human rights, the concept of gender and conflict resolution. The training was conducted by three specialists, who volunteered kindly. Positive responses by the trainees with the program were noted, a fact that encourages to repeat the experience.

• The Association’s Office in Najaf organized, in coordination with the Ministry of Youth and Sport, in December 2007, a training workshop for workers in the ministry on the skills of communication and dialogue. The number of participants in the workshop was 25 persons, representing five provinces; Baghdad, Najaf, Muthanna, Dhi Qar and Wasit.

• In April 2008, the Directorate of Youth and Sport of Diwaniyah province, organized in cooperation with the Association, a training workshop on (The art of influencing others), in which 20 employees in the mentioned directorate participated. The training included several topics including: human behavior, and the organisational family behavior influencing it, and the basic rules and leadership skills to influence others. The style of work was used within the work group, with an emphasis on practical exercises and tests. Days later another workshop was organized, under the name “Dialogue skills between young people”, which was attended by 20 employees in the ministry.

• In July 2008, IAA organized in Beirut, a course on human and gender rights in law, in which the President of the Supreme Judicial Council and the President of the Federal High Court Judge Medhat Al-Mahmoud and ten judges from the Federal Supreme Court and the federal Appeal Court and specialists in personal status participated, in addition to three academics professors specializing in law and human rights. The workshop program focused its discussions on the nature of human rights, and their international and regional mechanisms, and to identify the concept of gender and its association with human rights issues, and to shed light on discrimination against women in the laws, as well as the theme of violence against women, and refining the national legislation from forms of discrimination against women, and the enactment of laws to protect women and their rights, taking into consideration the legal framework of international women’s human rights. Also, the participant in the workshop, were briefed on Lebanese laws and on the Moroccan Code of Personal Status thoroughly, and there was a dialogue concerning the comparison with the Iraqi Personal Status Law No. 188 of 1959, as amended.

• In the second week of May 2007, IAA organized in conjunction with the Toledo International Center for Peace in Madrid / Spain, with support from the Spanish Ministry of Education and the Del Pino Fund, a workshop on building management skills and conflict resolution for women leaders in Iraq, and the promotion of gender equality in the framework of peace and security. The delegation was headed by eng. Wijdan Salim, Minister of Human Rights. (10) Women activists in key positions in civil society organisations and government institutions participated in the delegation, including (5) of the activists in the Association. This workshop came as a follow-up to the workshop organized by IAA and the Toledo center in Sulaimaniya, in July 2006, which was aimed at strengthening the role of Iraqi women, as a key figure in the Iraqi civil society. And in which a group of active leaders in civil society organisations and government institutions participated. The program of the workshop included topics related to conflict, its conditions and causes, and approaches of conflict resolution, communication skills, negotiation, mediation ……. etc. The total of the participants in the workshops was 30 activists from different governorates.

• In September 2007, IAA organized in Beirut, and with the support of Heinrich boll Foundation, in cooperation with the Lebanese organisation of Kafa, a training workshop for specialists on gender awareness, in which (15) trainees (male and female) from women’s movements leaderships and specialists in the field of media and the law participated.

• In October 2007, three IAA youths participated in a training camp held in Amman under the motto “Peace through Sports”, funded by a Princess from the Jordanian royal family and with the support of UNDP.

• Three IAA activists Participated in a training course on consolidating the capacities of women workers in the field of combating violence against women, held in Amman in December 2007, by the Human Rights Office of (UNAMI).