Gender-Based Violence

GBV is endemic across Iraq, affecting women, girls, boys, and men

SEED works to strengthen laws, policies, and protections for survivors and those at risk.

Strengthening Laws

Kurdistan is one of the few places in the MENA region to have a law which criminalizes domestic violence. SEED is working with other NGOs and Government Agencies to improve this legislation and its application.

Clarifications and guidelines for implementation
Strengthening mechanisms for referrals, collaboration, and coordination among the applicable government agencies
Distinguishing the roles and responsibilities of each government institution
Greater consistency in application of the law across governorates
Strengthening protections for children in law and in practice
Establishment of DCVAW offices in all districts
Application of the law by all the ministries and governmental commissions

Building Capacity

SEED trains staff from government agencies such as the Department of Combating Violence Against Women and Families (DCVAW) and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MOLSA).
Training helps participants to:

Understand the impact of gender inequalities on people’s lives
Provides a deeper understanding of the GBV laws in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and their impact on survivors and those at risk of GBV
Strengthen the quality of services available to people affected by violence and conflict, including GBV, with the focus on women and girls within Kurdistan

Changing Cultural Norms

SEED raises awareness of the laws, services and issues around GBV in Kurdistan, to challenge societal stigmas placed on survivors and those at risk of GBV which form barriers to accessing help and protection through:

Empowering young women and girls
Outreach and awareness raising with adolescents and youth
Partnering with the KRG to prevent and respond to cases of sexual exploitation and abuse
Social media campaigns

GBV

Almost 50% of women in Iraq will face violence in their homes

UN Women Global Database on Violence Against Women 2019

Preventing Sexual Exploitation, Harassment, and Abuse

Sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment are growing problems in Kurdistan and affect many young women and girls.

Social media has increased their vulnerability to being “sexploited” and harassed due to manipulation of photographs or by the sharing of their intimate/compromising photos, with women and girls at risk of losing their families, their safety, and their lives. Sexual harassment is not just an online problem, it happens in the workplace, schools, taxis and on the street.