Iraq
Iraq
Women are crucial allies to the efforts to eliminate extremism in Iraq. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has contributed to a political landscape in Iraq historically characterized by sectarianism, ineffective judicial systems, high levels of government corruption, and high rates of violence against women, including sexual and gender-based violence. ISIL continues to use sexual and gender-based violence and rape as weapons of war— and targets women, particularly Yazidi women and other non-Shiite minorities, for sexual slavery among fighters.
Iraq acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1986, launched the National Strategy on Combating Violence against Women in 2013, and launched its National Action Plan pursuant to Resolution 1325 in 2014. Iraq’s National Action Plan was the first launched in the Middle East. The Ministry of Women’s Affairs in Iraq has also developed a National Strategy for the Advancement of Iraqi Women, but due to the political climate it hasn’t been effectively implemented; similarly, laws banning forced and early marriages are rarely enforced.
Based on the work of NGOWG members and their partners, the NGOWG advocates for the Government of Iraq to clarify their shelter policies, in order to allow and support Iraqi NGOs in their efforts to operate shelters and provide much needed services to survivors of SGBV. Further, the NGOWG urges the Security Council to ensure that the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) is regularly engaging with women’s organizations, and will continue to take concrete steps to support women’s participation in all peace and security processes.
Current and Past Recommendations to the UN Security Council (Monthly Action Points)
Iraq (October 2015)
As the Security Council considers a report on the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and discusses the ongoing crisis situation, members should receive a gender analysis in all briefings and reports and call upon all UN entities and humanitarian and protection actors to consult with women and girls, including those displaced and with disabilities. With respect to countering terrorism and violent extremism, as well as the broader situation, the Council should consider the following recommendations:
- Continue deployment of gender advisers and female personnel in UNAMI, and women’s full and meaningful participation in all efforts to counter and prevent violent extremism and terrorism.
- Apply a gender lens to humanitarian assistance efforts, particularly in the provision of medical care, including trauma support, ongoing psychosocial counseling, and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services as mandated by SCR 2122 (2013), which includes access to emergency contraception and safe abortion services. Further, the Council should call on the Government of Iraq to lift the policy prohibiting NGOs from providing shelter to displaced persons.
- Urge the Government of Iraq to legally allow displaced women and girls access to three-year temporary Civil Status Identification Documents, in the absence of a male family member to verify their identity, to help reduce their risk of statelessness, increased exposure to SGBV, and discrimination; fully implement and fund Iraq’s National Action Plan on SCR 1325 in consultation with civil society; support the recruitment, retention, and professionalization of women in the security and justice sectors in an effort to enhance their effectiveness at countering terrorism and violent extremism; and establish training programs and protocols that address SGBV stigma for medical staff providing care to SGBV survivors.
As the Security Council considers a report on the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and discusses the ongoing crisis situation, members should receive a gender analysis in all briefings and reports and call upon all UN entities and humanitarian and protection actors to consult with women and girls, including those displaced and with disabilities. With respect to countering terrorism and violent extremism, as well as the broader situation, the Council should consider the following recommendations:
- Continue deployment of gender advisers and female personnel in UNAMI, and women’s full and meaningful participation in all efforts to counter and prevent violent extremism and terrorism.
- Apply a gender lens to humanitarian assistance efforts, particularly in the provision of medical care, including trauma support, ongoing psychosocial counseling, and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services as mandated by SCR 2122 (2013), which includes access to emergency contraception and safe abortion services. Further, the Council should call on the Government of Iraq to lift the policy prohibiting NGOs from providing shelter to displaced persons.
- Urge the Government of Iraq to legally allow displaced women and girls access to three-year temporary Civil Status Identification Documents, in the absence of a male family member to verify their identity, to help reduce their risk of statelessness, increased exposure to SGBV, and discrimination; fully implement and fund Iraq’s National Action Plan on SCR 1325 in consultation with civil society; support the recruitment, retention, and professionalization of women in the security and justice sectors in an effort to enhance their effectiveness at countering terrorism and violent extremism; and establish training programs and protocols that address SGBV stigma for medical staff providing care to SGBV survivors.
Relevant Resources
