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.
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