Iraqi Al-Amal Association conducted with UNICEF and PAX support three training workshops on (Social-Based Violence ) three days for the first workshop, two days for the second and third workshops, these workshops were held in the police academy hall in Kirkuk. 82 investigation officers participated from the police stations of the Directorate for combating crime in Kirkuk and with different sections and ranks. The workshops ended on Saturday 21^st January 2017. These workshops are part of the activities of Al-Amal Family Guidance Centre Project in Kirkuk and Women against Violence Project. 

Many subjects were discussed which focus on (social, social roles, Violence types, CEDAW, 1325 United Nations’ resolution in 2000, Mechanisms on facing violence and how to treat the survivor and maintaining the secrecy of information). Many social exercises were conducted to entrench the concept of the training workshop and the discussions which reinforce the goals of the workshop. In the end of the workshops they were evaluated by the participants as useful and contribute in raising awareness in women rights and social issues.

It should be noted that Iraqi Al-Amal Association office in Kirkuk is implementing a group of programs which concentrate on women rights and gender issues and the training workshops come within the activities of Al-Amal Family Guidance Centre which provides legal, psychological and social services for the women and also within Women against Violence project which focuses on women rights issues in CEDAW and 1325 resolution and education of the national plan to implement the resolution and increase the government and security sectors skills in treating women and violence survivors.

With view to strengthen the mutual cooperation between Iraqi Al-Amal Association and Najaf Police Command Al-Amal organised a workshop at the Command Centre / Woman Affairs Department for the Social Police staff and Woman and Child Protection Centre Against Domestic violence on 25th May 2016. The workshop included those who did not attend the previous two workshops at Al-Amal office in Najaf.

The training included relevant subjects such as human rights, GBV, the police role in the contingency plan of 1325 resolution, and stopping criminals escaping punishment, all through comprehending women’s role in peace and decision making before and after armed conflicts. The workshop was facilitated by solicitor Mohammed, Manager of Iraqi Al-Amal Association office in Najaf.It should be noted that this workshop was organised after several consultative meetings at Najaf Police Command Centre / Woman Affairs Department and Woman and Child Protection Against Domestic Violence Centre. There will be more training workshops at the Police Academy in Najaf.

Iraqi Al-Amal Association / Kirkuk Office supported by OHCHR organized two workshops within the project”Empowerment of Iraqi Police, Security and DefenseForces to stop impunity to the perpetrators of violence based on gender and physical violence during armed conflicts”. The workshop lasted for two days and was provided for officers in Police, Security forces, officials responsible for IDPs sectors and staff from Family and Child Protection from Domestic Violence Department. during 24-28 March 2016 and 17-18 April 2016.

46 investigation officers and security staff participated in the training. Lectures were delivered about Human Rights Convention, Gender, Gender roles, Violence and its types, GBV, CEDAW, Conflicts and Resolution, Security Council resolution 1325, Charter of the United Nations, International laws and many methods to limit violence phenomenon and how to resolve issues. There was a discussion on the different topics by the participants.

Iraqi Al-Amal Association / Kirkuk Office conducted within the activities of (Women Against Violence) project in its 3rd year weekly meetings of chosen women from Lilan camp on the 7th and the 14th of April 2016. (56) women participated in the meetings where many social problems, which women in the camp suffer from, were discussed.

Underage Marriage, Out of Court Marriage, Women’s and Men’s Roles

Al-Amal Family Support Centre, in conjunction with the Youth & Sports Directorate in Basra, held a workshop titled “Exchanging Roles” on 20th January 2016.

The workshop aimed at identifying the roles of women from the social point of view and introducing the appropriate roles of women. In most cases, the role of men, in our eastern culture, is limited to supporting the family financially while the women’s role is limited to her responsibility inside the household.She is the mother, the nursemaid and the one responsible for the family.

The natural roles of men and womenin the family, the complimentary roles where each completes the role of the other, were discussed in the workshop. But under present social and cultural development the tables, and consequently the roles, have been turned. Women became responsible for supporting the family instead of men.

It became apparent after the completion of the discussion that the participants’ views on the true roles of women has changed. At the end of the workshop, “health baskets” were distributed to the female participants.

In this respect another workshop was held in conjunction with Youth & Sports Directorate titled “Underage Marriage, Out of Court Marriage” at another centre on 20^th January 2016.

The underage marriage issue was discussed together with its effects on the family and society, and the consequent divorce rates, particularly in the out-of-court marriages. The legal effects of the underage marriages was discussed. It is often performed out of court which denies women of their rights by law specially in case of divorce.

Under the banner “Developing Cooperation Between the Local Authorities in Basra and Kirkuk with Civil Society Organizations to Involve Women in Peace, Security and Community Cohesion Process”, Iraqi Al-Amal Association and Al-Firdous Iraqi Association held the final conference of Women Against Violence Project in its second yearin Erbil on 8^thand 9^th January 2016. The project was implemented in Basra and Kirkuk with support from the Dutch organization, PAX. 40 prominent figures from Basra and Kirkuk local authorities, Governorate Councils, and services departments participated in the conference, As well as  some members of the Iraqi Parliament and human rights and women’s rights activists from Baghdad, Suleimaniya and Erbil.

The conference was opened with a welcome by the activist Sorood Mohamed Falih, Iraqi Al-Amal Association / Kirkuk Office Manager and the Activist Fatima Al-Bahadly, Head of Al-Firdous Iraqi Association which is based in Basra. The two activists presented a brief description of Women Against Violence project during 2014 and 2015.

This was followed by the representatives of Kirkuk local government Ms Jwan Hasan, Basra government  Mr. Munther Al-Faiyadh, Iraqi Parliament Ms Reezan Sheikh Mohamed, Baghdad Governorate Council member Ms Dahaa Al-Rawi and PAX organization Ms Teresa Du Fraise who all expressed their thanks to Iraqi Al-Amal Association, Al-Firdous Iraqi Association and PAX organization for organizing such a conference and inviting them to participate in it to change the status of women  through the implementation of 1325 resolution in Basra and Kirkuk governorates to become  models for other governorates and to follow their footsteps in implementing this resolution.

The conference commenced with a presentation by the coordinator of Women Network, the activist Amal Kbashi, of the contents of the Security Council resolution 1325 and the following resolutions 2122 and 2242, and their projection on the Iraqi reality. The activist from Al-Rafidain Women Alliance Association, Ms Hanaa Abbas, gave a presentation on the national work plan and the contingency plan for resolution 1325.

A presentation on the activities of the project, Women Against Violence, in Basra and Kirkuk, the accomplishment, challenges and lessons learned, was delivered by the activist Ms Sorood Mohamed Falih of Iraqi Al-Amal Association and the activist Ms Sanaa Al-Mosawi of Al-Firdous Iraqi Association. Two participants in the project, Ms Adeeba Shkoor from Aldibis district and Ms Nazik Jasim from Altoon Kobrey township told of their success stories in Kirkuk. They illustrated the effect of the project on them and how it raised their confidence, developed their abilities and skills in working as a social researchers amongst women and the roles they played to build peace and security in their regions.

The Chairperson of the Iraqi Al-Amal Association, Ms Hanaa Edwar, followed by a contribution on“ Women Participation Against Violence, Terrorism and Extremism” The contributions  were interposed by discussions, comments and questions by the participants which livened the conference.

The participants were divided into two groups (Basra and Kirkuk) during the second session to determine the work priorities in 2016 in order to implement the contingency plan of 1325 resolution and come up with a draft for the cooperation between the local authorities and CSOs to involve women in peace, security and community cohesion process.

In the second day of the conference Ms Anka Kloples, Manager of Women Against Violence project / PAX organization explained the idea the project, the countries where it was implemented, the importance of the project in changing the status of women, the activities that were implemented during the project’s period and the importance of 1325 resolution.

At the end of the conference, the recommendations of both groups were introduced and discussed by the participants. The cooperation pact between the local authorities and CSOs was agreed, striving to gain support for it in the two provinces and to be officially adopted.

the conference was concluded by contributions from the activist Jamal Al-Jawahiri, Executive Director of Iraqi Al-Amal Association, Ms Sorood Mohamed, Ms Fatima Al-Bahadly and Ms Teresa Du Fraise, expressing their thanks and appreciation to all the participants in the conference and their cooperation to make it a success.

Media coverage was provided by Rudaw satellite channel.

This conference is considered as the conclusion to the second year activities of Women Against Violence project by Iraqi Al-Amal Association / Kirkuk and Al-Firdous Iraqi Association. 

 “The Civil Society and Challenges of Failure to Protect Women”

Riviera Hotel, Beirut 12-14, December 2015

Supported by the Swedish Organization for Women, Kafa (Enough) Violence and Exploitation Organization has conducted a regional meeting on “The Civil Society and Challenges of Failure to Protect Women”. The meeting was organized in cooperation with the Iraqi Al Amal Association, Syrian Women’s League, Asfari Center for Civil Society and Citizenship, and the Lebanon’s branch of the Arab Institute for Human Rights,. Representatives of women’s organizations and legal professionals from 13 Arab countries participated in the discussions around the challenges to protect women, especially at conflicts and post- conflict situations. 

The meeting included general discussion sessions addressing the mechanisms to protect human rights and women’s rights, local and international obstacles hindering the application of the Bill of Human Rights, and relevant mechanisms of women’s protection within the Arab region specifically. 

In the first meeting, United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Ms. Sigrid Kaag took part and pointed out in her speech to the immense challenges in the Arab countries due to mishandling the resolutions of the Security Council and the ineffectiveness ofmechanisms of monitoring violence against women. She emphasized on the need to report and document the information and GBV cases in order to bring the perpetrators of crimes of violence against women to justice and punish them later. She stressed out on strengthening the role of women in political life and in conflict resolution.

A special session was dedicated to provide factual accounts of violations against women’s human rights and the suffering of women and girls at times of wars and armed conflicts in Palestine, Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Libya. These testimonies and accounts reflected on the systematic brutal practices committed against women and girls, and civilians in general, such as: murders, abduction and captivity, trafficking, and sexual enslavement.

The attendees have applauded, particularly, the defenders of women’s human rights; who have been detained and of those who are forcibly hidden in a number of Arab countries. The attendees also strongly recommended questioning the concerned authorities about the fate of these women and releasing the detainees immediately. They also expressed their ample solidarity with victims of sexual violence who suffered the most savage forms of torture and humiliation committed by all categories of armed militias. They emphasized the necessity of putting more efforts to expose perpetuates of these crimes and making sure they do not escape impunity. 

The discussion covered also the existing gaps within the same international mechanisms that allow the weakness of governments’ commitment to comply with the international conventions especially CEDAW, the Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security and the subsequent resolutions. It is, also, associated with weak mechanisms of the UN agencies to follow up and monitor the accountability of these governments in the implementation of their commitments. Attendees also pointed out to the incapability of the accredited international mechanisms to find solutions to stop and put an end to the armed conflicts, to save lives of the civilians, to guarantee protection for women and girls, and to meet the needs of women IDPs and refugees. These international mechanisms also marginalize women’s role within the negotiation process of conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

The attendees also focused on the foreign policy of most countries and the way they deal with governments and civil society organizations in the region by giving a priority to their political and economic interests over human rights issues in general and women’s rights in particular. It was also noted the visible imbalance in the funding policies adopted by these governments to the organizations, in terms of funding’s weakness and inadequacy in ensuring the continuity of the programs and the sustainability of the work of organizations, as well as the imposition of priorities, which do not take into account the particular needs of each country.

The discussion refuted the ways in which governments’ circumvent around their international commitments and obligations, either by imposition of reservations on the articles which constitute the essence of the human rights conventions under the pretext of cultural and religious privacy, or non  adaptive with national laws, or lack of national mechanisms and financial resources to put these conventions and decisions into practice; such excuses that respond primarily to the absence or the weakness of political will, and the predominance of masculine mentality of the ruling political forces that rejects the principle of equality and women’s rights. This has emerged through compromises among various political parties to consolidate the stereotyping of women, sustained discrimination against them in law, especially the Personal Status and Criminal Laws, and maintained marginalization of women and their participation in the public life. 

Likewise, the participants in the meetings discussed the prevalence of violence practices against women, reviving the tribal traditions and customs and religious fatwa that degrade women’s dignity such as girls marriage, polygamy, and the so-called “Honor” crimes.

Debate emphasized the important role of civil society organizations being played through various programs such as:  Relief, raising awareness, education, empowerment, monitoring, documenting,  projects of drafting laws and national plans  relevant to the UNSC Resolution 1325 within insecure situations and lack of individual safety on the  one hand, and facing legal restrictions on their work in addition to the abusive acts committed by the ruling authorities

against civil society organizations’ members and defenders  of human rights, under the pretext of fighting against terrorism and corruption on the other hand. 

Attendees agreed on the need for networking and a joint action among the women’s organizations at the national and regional level, and the necessity to develop a regional strategy to counter violence and discrimination against women, taking into account the following points:

First: Bridge the gaps in the constitutions and laws in accordance with the international conventions and agreements on human rights;

Second: Transitional justice must be gender-sensitive, especially for victims of sexual violence at conflict and post-conflict situations;

Third: Freedom of the work of civil society organizations and the protection of defenders of women’s human rights under situations of terrorism and extremism.

These themes were elaborated within the working groups, which submitted their final recommendations at the closing session of the regional meeting. It was agreed upon continuing the efforts on the formulation of the strategic plan, and to gain a broad support for it from local civil society organizations and on the regional and international levels.

Click here to download the report in PDF

The Laws on Sexual Violence in the Middle East and North Africa

The activist Awatif Turki Rasheed represented Iraqi Al-Amal Association at the social experts’ regional meeting on social violence laws in the Middle East and South Africa. The meeting was held in Lebanon from November 18^th to 20^th November, 2015. The participants included experts in social issues from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, and Morocco. The proceedings contained many discussions on specific laws which are prejudicial to women. The aim was to establish legal proceedings to modify these laws in order to keep pace and response to the forms of social crimes committed and used it as a tool for advocacy locally and internationally

The meeting was organized by Nazra Feminist Studies Centre in Egypt. The agenda included many discussions on the criminal, civil, and personal status laws for these countries. The participants presented the legal and legislative issues in social violence crimes. 

The constitutions and international agreements applicable in the countries of the region were also discussed with view to applying them to exercise pressure to modify the laws and legislations. The participants, representing their countries presented draft laws for legislative reforms in the participating countries, and methods on modifying these laws and legislations in conflict areas.

The sessions on the third day were concluded with a discussion on the local and international advocacy mechanisms to work on modifying these laws and legislations in the Middle East and South Africa. And, make these modifications on the basis of the recommendations and conclusions approved by the Commission on the Status of Women in the United Nations in 2013. The meeting was concluded by presenting recommendations and discussing follow-up and networking.   

Al-Amal Family Support Centre in Baghdad has distributed aid to needy families, orphans and displaced people, in the regions of Al-Shaab, Shishan, Um al-Kubr, Sab Qusor, Al-Sader City and many other different places as and where displaced people are found such as in Boob Al-Sham, Gazalya, and Al-Rashad neighborhood as well as distributing aid to students and migrant families inside Baghdad the Family Support Centre in Al-Shaab region.

Aid was distributed to 623 people including variety of clothes as well as distributing some supplies and appliances for cooking and preparing food for the displaced and infant and some detergent and baby items in Al-Rashad neighborhood. 

At the start of the new academic year, stationery was distributed to 160 students from secondary and primary schools in Al-Nabi Sheet in Boob Al-Sham region. Health items were distributed to families at brick factories in Al-Nahrawan region. The aid distribution was in collaboration with civil society organizations in Baghdad such as Al Maktoom, Bani Kaab Social Organization and the Widows Centre for Training and Development.

It should be noted that Iraqi Al-Amal Association runs five Family Support Centres in Baghdad, Najaf, Basra, Kirkuk and Nasiriya. The Centres promote families and women’s status, address issues relating to domestic and sexual violence and gender-based violence, through free social, psychological and legal counseling, and legal intervention if necessary.

Iraqi Al-amal association held two workshops within ‘The Political Empowerment for Women’ project. One of the workshops was about the legislation process and management skills for Iraqi female deputies, while the other workshop was about inserting ‘Gender’ in ministries’ policies for the advancement of women’s officials in government and civil society. Both workshops were held in Erbil from the 29^th of August to the 4^th of September. 

The first workshop was for Iraqi female deputies concerning the legislation process inside the Iraqi parliament, and develop their management skills and self-management. The workshop was attended by 27 Iraqi female deputies, most of them were new deputies. The workshop was held at Dedeman Hotel in Erbil from the 29^th of August to the 1^st of September, 2015. 

The workshop was managed by the legal expert Mr. Hadi Aziz, who focused on the legislation process according to the constitution and parliamentary bylaws. While the second half of the workshop was managed by Mr. Jan Deab Al-Hajj which involved developing management skills, team management and meetings management. This workshop was organized in collaboration with ‘Civil Society Organizations Committee’ of the Iraqi parliament. 

The other workshop was for the advancement of women’s officials in Iraqi Ministries, and it was attended by 16 women from the Iraqi government, and 4 civil society activist among them 3 women from Iraqi Al-amal association who have responsibilities on empowering women in the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers. The workshop was held in Erbil’s international Hotel from the 1^st to the 4^th of September, 2015. 

Both workshops are within ‘The Political Empowerment for Women’ project which is implemented by Iraqi Al-amal association in collaboration with Hivos association. The project was started on September, 2013. This project is about training and supporting Iraqi female candidates for the parliament.

In its second year of campaign “Women Against Violence” and for the implementation of Resolution 1325, Iraqi Al-amal Association, Kirkuk’s office, held a seminar on 20^th August 2015, with support from IKV PAX Christi and in association with Kirkuk Provincial Council. 27 women from Al-Debs town participated in the debate and discussed the national plan for the 1325 resolution and the need to protect women in Iraq. The aim was to empower women, enhance their role in the elections and develop their leadership qualities in the elections and other aspects of life.