The Women Empowerment Support and Empowerment Program works to enhance the values and practices of gender equality and support the development of women to participate effectively in the decision-making process and enjoy their rights and improve their capabilities in order to achieve the required skills and knowledge, in addition to providing technical support services at the psychological, social and legal levels for women who need these services . All of this is associated with advocacy efforts to develop and amend legislation, laws, policies and executive procedures that guarantee and protect women’s rights
That the deterioration of the security situation in Iraq significantly in following attacks of armed Terrorist groups in the central and northern part of the country and as a result of the sectarian violence in Iraq resulted the displacement of thousands Families and an absence of basic protection for the civilian population ,
In addition Vulnerable groups are increasingly living in hardship, with not access to basic services such as water, sanitation, health-care, or education.
also there are many still vulnerable and marginalized Iraqis face many challenges and problems of access to the justice system ,health care and education These marginalized people are mostly women and children.,
Within such circumstances, justice remains in lack of responsible, comprehensive, and contextually sensitive socio-legal formal and informal systems of intervention where iraqi women and girls are still the most disadvantaged group in an unequal social justice system. The failure to defend women and girls, and wider society, from broken political and socio-legal systems not only violates their right to access justice but also entrenches a gender-discriminatory structure and mores enabling the abuse and traumatization to continue for present and future generations of women. Until this systematic phenomenon is acknowledged, confronted, and transformed, iraqi women and girls in will continue to find their access to justice denied, and the repercussions to iraq society generally will be felt for generations to come.
”About the program”
The Women Empowerment Support Program works to enhance the values and practices of gender equality and support the development of women to participate effectively in the decision-making process and enjoy their rights and improve their capabilities in order to achieve the required skills and knowledge, in addition to providing technical support services at the psychological, social and legal levels for women who need these services . All of this is associated with advocacy efforts to develop and amend legislation, laws, policies and executive procedures that guarantee and protect women’s rights.
DHO significantly contributed to combat violence against women in through
Improving well being of women victims of different forms of violence (physical, psychological, social, verbal and sexual) through professional support services: legal aid, psycho-social support & family forum.
Legal aid provided to women victims of violence monthly including consultations, mediation, arbitration ,raising lawsuits, representing women before courts and follow up the judicial procedures to enable women to get their legal and legitimate rights.
Psychosocial support services provided to almost women victims of violence monthly including individual& consultations, group therapy and recreational activities and open days.
Family forum service provided to separated couples and divorcees monthly enabling them to see their children in a safe and comfortable environment.
Increasing public awareness regarding all forms of violence against women and their rights as outlined within International conventions.
Improving skills and experiences of professionals working on women’s issues through advanced training courses almost 3000 professionals (women leaders, activists, university fresh graduates, social figures, police officers, youth groups, law graduates) got training courses about violence concepts, types and mechanisms of protection, gender, women rights, advocacy, alternative conflict resolution, legal protection mechanisms, penal procedures and personal status laws
Holding capacity building programs institutionalizing traditional interventions of Mukhtars, Imams and reconciliation committees towards adopting modern trends in handling women issues that guarantee safe re-integration of victims of violence to their social environment