Iraq Centers

Known Centers based in Iraq

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The Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI)

Year established: 1998

Short historical background

The Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq (OWFI) was founded in 1998 as the Defense of Iraqi Women's Rights (DIWR) in Toronto, Canada, by a group of Iraqi women which included Yanar Mohammed, the current director. The group changed its name in June 2003 to the Organization of Women’s Freedom and relocated to Iraq. The OWFI works to protect women from discriminatory and dangerous laws and practices like honor killings; the members do so both practically by funding a women’s shelter and working to find safe haven for women who need it, and politically, by raising their voices in defense of women, and by working to ensure women retain a role in the legislative process.

Objective

Protection for Women - OFWI runs shelters for battered women in four Iraqi cities and an "underground railroad" to conduct women at risk of violence, murder, and “honor killings”, to safe havens.

Women Rights Advocacy – OWFI has a long history in advocating for women rights in Iraq. It is even the only Iraqi’s women organization which has publicly spoken out against the previous regime in Iraq and the US occupation for their unleashing of violent backlashes against Iraqi women.

Events Organizing – OWFI organizes press conferences, meetings, protest, and campaigns geared towards the advocacy of women’s social, economic and, political rights in Iraq.

Training – OFWI holds several women’s rights training sessions for women in Iraq. It tries to reach out to various women in the Iraqi society. For example, in 2005, it held a training session for Kurdish women in the region. The sessions included information on the historical backgrounds of international and regional women rights movements, the ideas and approaches of different women rights activist groups and organizations, and the objectives and roles of OWFI in the Iraqi government and society.

Programs and Activities

• Protection for Women - OWFI runs shelters for battered women in two Iraqi cities and a new shelter initiative for LGBTI individuals who are at risk. Both shelters protect individuals from violence, murder, “honor killings”, and homophobic crimes.
• Women’s Rights Advocacy – OWFI has a long history of advocating for women’s rights in Iraq. It is the only Iraqi’s women organization which has publicly spoken out against the previous regime in Iraq and the US occupation for their unleashing of violent backlashes against Iraqi women whether in the southern cities in 2007-2008 or continue to do so in all cities with legal cover. OWFI was the only NGO to condemn the mass killings of LGBT unleashed in February 2012.
• Events Organizing – OWFI organizes press conferences, meetings, protests, and campaigns geared towards the advocacy of women’s social, economic and political rights in Iraq.
• Training – OFWI holds several women’s rights training sessions for individuals supporting equality in Iraq. It tries to reach out to various women in the Iraqi society. Monthly and seasonal meetings since 2005, are directed towards activists, members and women at large in the community. The meetings give an overview of OWFI’s outlook on methods of protecting women from postwar phenomena such as trafficking, forced prostitution, tribal violence, religious extremist misogyny, and discriminatory laws.

Special Concerns

OWFI focused in the last years on women in vulnerable situations such as those:
• Trafficked into sex industry, which became epidemic between 2006 and 2009.
• Imprisoned juvenile who suffer from war-torn families and have either worn explosive belts or escaped forced prostitution.
• Wanted for honour killing: runaways from abusive tribal practices (OWFI provides them with safe and nurturing shelter)
• LGBTI individuals who are persecuted for their sexual orientation.

Publications

BCHR mainly reports and publishes news articles. These documents can be accessed online www.bahrainrights.org. Here are some documents published by BCHR:

• Media coverage of elections marred by self-censorship, political pressure, exclusion of voices and blocking of Internet (2008)

• The release of Arab detainees in Guantanamo: Successful model for the national, regional and international joint efforts (2008)

• Mounting Unrest and Violations in Bahrain (2008)

• Security forces assault journalists covering repression of protest (2007)

• Crackdown on Activists in Bahrain Continues (2007)

Publications

• Al Mousawat, periodical newsletter

• Killing Women, Destroying Iraq (2007)

• Islamic Sharia law: a constant threat against the rights and freedom of women in the Middle East (2007)

• It’s not a matter of choice (2007)

• Stories from Baghdad, a weekly diary (2004)

Several of OWFI’s publications are accessible on the organization’s website www.equalityiniraq.com

Other Information

OWFI launched Al Mousawat FM Radio station 103.8FM in the year 2010. It is a community Radio airing on Baghdad and few surrounding cities. It addresses all community issues with a feminist, egalitarian, and secular outlook.

Address

The Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq (OWFI)

Al Za’eem Street (next to Al Saudoun Hospital)

Iraq

ph (964) 7170953

e-mail: Al_mousawat[a]yahoo.com; yanar2002[a]hotmail.com

www.equalityiniraq.com