The overarching aim of the “Protection and Prevention Initiatives to Safeguard Women Peace and Security” project, funded by UN Women/WPHF and spanning from November 1, 2019, to October 31, 2021, is to create an enabling environment conducive to the implementation of Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) commitments in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. This initiative seeks to achieve its objectives through evidence-based advocacy and technical assistance, ensuring the adoption of robust and culturally relevant accountability frameworks capable of addressing emerging threats, including violent extremism, and tackling attitudinal and cultural biases.

Project Outputs:

1. Establishment of National Strategies, Financing, and Accountability Mechanisms for WPS Implementation:
   • Activities:
     • Develop and activate mechanisms ensuring the protection and safety of women activists.
     • Facilitate community-wide awareness campaigns aimed at challenging social patriarchal norms and reinforcing governmental support for women activists.
     • Enhance the capacities of women activists by providing them with necessary knowledge and skills for monitoring the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) 1325.

Project Results:

• Direct Beneficiaries:
  • Trainers: 24
  • Female Activists: 240
  • Total: 264
• Indirect Beneficiaries:
  • 3,000 Women and Girls Trained on Women’s Rights, Self-Protection, Self-Care, Advocacy, and 1325 Monitoring.

Through these efforts, the project endeavors to foster a safer and more inclusive environment where women can actively participate in peacebuilding processes, ensuring their voices are heard and their rights are protected.