Our objective is to provide a comprehensive report on the impactful “From Awareness to Advocacy: Strengthening the Fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Human Rights Violations in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq” conference, hosted by Accepting Others Organization (AOO) in collaboration with the Office of the Coordinator for International Advocacy (OCIA) led by Dr. Dindar Zebari.

Key Points:

• Date: December 5, 2023
• Participation: Over 170 distinguished guests from various parts of the Kurdistan Region and federal Iraq, including representatives from government, the United Nations, Civil Society Organizations, academia, media, women’s rights advocates, and human rights activists.
• Media Attention: Coverage by 18 media outlets highlighted the significance of the discussions on gender-based violence (GBV) and human rights violations.
• Panel Discussions: The conference featured two panels:
  1. “Safeguarding Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) from the Government and UN Standpoint,” providing insights from experts in the field.
  2. “Defending Human Rights in the Kurdistan Region: Insights from Academia, Activism, and Media Perspectives,” offering additional perspectives on human rights issues.
• Project Culmination: The conference served as the culmination of AOO’s six-month project, “Enhancing Government Capacity for Quality and Effective GBV Response Services in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.”

Through our website, we aim to disseminate the key findings, discussions, and recommendations from the conference, contributing to ongoing efforts to combat GBV and uphold human rights in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.