Home
Historic royal visit underscores the UK and Iraq's partnership to promote and protect women's rights
Iraq 2023/05/30
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Mark Bryson Richardson
It was a real honor to welcome Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh to Iraq last week. This visit comes just two weeks after the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and is the first royal visit to Baghdad and the Kurdistan region of Iraq, and it reflects the strength and importance of the modern partnership.
between the United Kingdom and Iraq.
Her Royal Highness is an advocate for women's rights and equality in the workplace and throughout society. We know that countries can only realize their full potential if women are able to play their full role in the economy, politics and society at large. There is strong evidence of women's inclusion in improving corporate business outcomes, making the political and peace process more sustainable and impactful, as well as significant contributions to development indicators, as well as ensuring respect for basic human rights, these are all other reasons why women's inclusion is a key priority for the British government.
within the United Kingdom.
The UK introduced the Domestic Violence Act two years ago and has undertaken a comprehensive review of violence against women and girls. We have made progress but there is still a lot to be done and we are still far from the target we would like to reach. Recognizing that in the updated UK National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security for the period
2023 - 2027, there is a much greater focus on where domestic policy needs to move forward, including recognition of the role women peacebuilders in Northern Ireland have played and continue to play globally, with significant efforts by the Home Office and the Department of Justice and Northern Ireland Office.
As we advance our local agenda, we are keen to share our experience, learn from others, and join forces with international partners who strive to promote women's inclusion and reduce violence against women and girls. Iraq is one of our priority partners, as is the UK's Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict initiative. Unfortunately, decades of conflict caused by ISIL have recently seen an increase in conflict-related sexual violence as well as common issues for the UK, such as high rates of online sexual assault.
Since 2019, Her Royal Highness has championed the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and the UK Government's Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict initiative, with a focus on promoting and protecting women peacebuilders and supporting all survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, including children born of rape.
During her visit to Iraq, the Duchess had the opportunity to discuss these issues at length with the governments of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and with women and men across the country, as well as with leaders in a range of fields, peacebuilders, survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and advocates who are shedding light on this issue. .
This included hearing the harrowing testimonies of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence from minority communities of Yazidis, Shabak and Turkmen who are incredibly brave, still dealing with the repercussions of conflict six years after the territorial defeat of ISIS, including separation from their children.
born from rape.
The Government of Iraq has launched its National Strategy for Women and is moving forward with the implementation of the Yazidi Survivors Law.
In both Baghdad and Erbil, there is a clear and positive commitment to addressing difficult issues related to women, peace and security, and to supporting survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and their children born as a result of rape. The UK government supports these efforts.
The UK is proud to support the implementation of the Yazidi Survivors Act, including the launch of the Mental Health and Mental Referral Mechanism.
Through the UK-funded Women’s Voices First programme, we have supported 22 women’s rights organizations to deliver 29 projects focusing on women, peace and security across Iraq including the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, reaching over 21,000 direct beneficiaries.
The activities of these projects are designed and implemented by communities to fulfill their priorities, whether supporting survivors of gender-based violence through access to mental health counseling and legal advice, skills training or peacebuilding.
The program also included male participants, for example through workshops that highlight the effects of gender-based violence and the importance and benefits of including women fully, equally and meaningfully in decision-making processes.
We stand ready to do more, including supporting partners to adopt the Murad Code, developed in partnership with Yazidi survivor Nadia Murad and the Institute for International Criminal Investigation, which provides a valuable survivor-centered code of conduct to collect evidence to improve opportunities for justice and reduce trauma, and a platform Work on children born of sexual violence in conflict.
Globally, the UK continues to advocate for the rights and well-being of survivors, launching the International Coalition to Prevent Sexual Violence in Conflict to bring together states, civil society and survivors to develop more comprehensive and coordinated action on this agenda.
It was my pleasure to convey to the Government of Iraq an invitation to Lord Ahmed, Secretary of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and the United Nations in the UK Foreign and Development Office and the UK Prime Minister's Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Issues, to participate in the coalition. This historic royal visit has highlighted the growing strength of the relationship between the United Kingdom and Iraq, and I am delighted that cooperation on women, peace and security will be another element of our broad and modern partnership. There is a lot we can learn from each other and achieve together.
* British Ambassador to Iraq
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
» Oil resources and political conflicts: the parties’ race to control Kirkuk’s wealth
» Obelisk Clock: Waste in ports exceeds “theft of the century”
» Al-Hakim: The countries of the region want to invest in Iraq
» Electricity fees exhaust farmers and drain 20% of their production costs
» The Ministry of Interior warns against harboring and employing violators of the foreigners’ residenc
» The National Bank of Iraq building was attacked by a bomb east of Baghdad
» It enters illegally and increases the unemployment rate.. Warnings about “foreign workers” in Iraq
» A parliamentary committee reveals two reasons preventing the resumption of oil exports to Türkiye
» A representative considered it a “scandal”... Sudanese agreed to supply Kurdistan with 720 tons of g
» Parliamentary Resources: Difficulty in resuming oil exports through Türkiye
» The position of Speaker of Parliament raises political division
» Soon.. voting on amending the law on the foundations of equivalency of certificates
» Iraqi workers celebrate their International Day
» Iraq exports to America more than 4 million barrels of oil
» “Quadruple Summit” regarding the “Development Road” project
» Oil and white products
» Specialists call for monitoring and regulating the entry of foreign workers
» Al-Sudani: Iraq will witness a revolution of projects to invest in water wealth
» Launching funding for the salaries of civilian and military retirees for the month of May
» Parliament reveals Erdogan's position on Iraq's water shares: He did not give clear approval
» Finance launches funding for the salaries of civil and military retirees for the month of May
» It may lead to "dividing the region"... revealing an imminent announcement to postpone the Kurdistan
» The Kurdish opposition addresses Baghdad: Do not respond to the request of the Kurdistan government,
» Sudanese sends gas to Kurdistan after the electricity collapse and the bombing of Kormor
» Al-Sudani makes a quick visit to the Interior Ministry and meets with senior officers: Be ready and
» On their International Day.. Iraqi workers: Our rights are absent and our economy is fragile
» Government official: Iraq has become a center for drug trade and smuggling
» Cabinet decisions do not include votes on budget schedules, and Parliament criticizes the delay
» Retired workers complain of poor living conditions
» Al-Issawi renews his commitment to running for parliament: I will submit only to God
» A Kurdish party refuses to settle the salaries of employees in the region's banks and files an accus
» Al-Hakim: Sectarianism in Iraq is not social but political
» Al-Sudani chairs the seventh meeting of the Supreme Committee of the Strategic Development Road Proj
» Al-Sudani chairs the seventh meeting of the Supreme Committee of the Strategic Development Road Proj
» Finance announces the launch of financing retirees’ salaries
» In just two weeks, the Sudanese is awaiting an action plan from the relevant ministries in agreement
» A thousand dinars every month.. An expert predicts the shape of the final journey of dollar prices
» Parliamentary Oil: The budget deficit is under control
» Parliamentary proposals to impose an economic blockade on Iraq
» His advisor: Al-Sudani succeeded in digital transfer in banks
» Economist reassures: Financial liquidity is available and there are no risks to the Iraqi dinar
» Iraq is preparing to bid farewell to the blonde old woman and end the UNAMI mission
» utube MM&C 4/30/24 Projects - Confidence Building - National Bank of Iraq
» Al-Sudani: The government is serious about moving to a diversified economy and supporting the indust
» Deputy: The dollar exchange rate is still high
» The Finance Committee reveals the total transfers today in Iraq
» Minister of Industry: Iraq does not have iron ores suitable for production and we depend on imports
» “The Dilemma of Economic Decisions”... Implementing a gasoline price increase despite opposition fro
» Ukrainian trade explodes with a “surprise”: Iraq has contracted with a “fake” Ukrainian company to d
» Iraq is preparing to invest in the largest gas field
» An economic expert for Nina: The World Bank’s expectations that Iraq will achieve a high growth rate
» The UAE buys cheaper Iraqi oil to increase its exports of “more expensive crude”
» The largest gas field in Iraq is close to seeing the light: a wealth that will reduce the import bil
» Minister of Resources: Water storage in dams is at its best
» Sadiqoun demands that Taqadum give up all positions in exchange for the presidency of Parliament
» Al-Sudani inaugurates the continuous casting factory at the General Company for Steel Industries in
» Iraq exports to America more than 4 million barrels of crude oil and its derivatives in a month
» Al-Sudani: We are committed to workers’ rights and reconstruction projects will not stop
» The Parliamentary Development Institute organizes a workshop on the right to information law
» Parliamentary Integrity: The judiciary is making a great effort to resolve the theft of the century
» Parliamentary Finance: The government holds responsible for the delay in sending the budget schedule
» Economist: Iraq faces a shortage of 3.5 million housing units
» Obelisk Hour: Sudanese’s visit to Washington did not address the “American exit”
» Planning clarifies the position on contracts and wages from the job number platform
» New country legalizes cryptocurrencies
» The UAE's Dana Gas announces the resumption of work in the "Kormor" field
» The International Comprehensive Shopping Festival kicks off in an Iraqi governorate
» The Minister of Labor gives good news to the workers: Wait for next week
» Iraq's water storage is at its best... Will it address the agricultural situation?
» The government takes a number of new decisions
» The Minister of Labor announces an increase in the salary of retired workers by 100 thousand dinars
» Al-Sudani: Service projects in Iraq “will not stop”
» 90 percent of it comes from across the border. Parliament unveils a new strategy to limit currency s
» Iraq is implementing a "modern strategy" to get rid of a "Sumerian custom" that depleted the waters
» The Minister of Transport announces the opening of 48 collective lines in six governorates
» The Federal Integrity Commission announced the arrest of waste of public money, violations and manip
» Government Media: 3 million citizens have registered so far on the Ur electronic portal
» Labor Day in Iraq.. 6 million workers with an unknown future and stolen rights, and 90% of them “wit
» Iranian Chamber of Commerce: Iraq's investment budget is 150 billion dollars, and our share in it mu
» On International Workers’ Day... The President of the Republic: We stress the necessity of working t
» Prime Minister: We affirm our commitment to all Iraqi workers, men and women, to provide a work envi
» Progress threatens to withdraw from the political process in the event of infringement on its quota
» Bloomberg: Iraq violated its oil export quota and did not adhere to OPEC+ decisions
» Al-Sudani stresses the importance of following up on the understandings reached between Iraq and Ame
» From "everything is imported" to "food made by one's own hands"... Parliamentary reference to Iraq's
» The government hires an external auditor for the Trade Bank of Iraq
» Among them relates to the path of development...the full decisions of the Council of Ministers sessi
» Al-Maliki warns of the Washington Embassy's plans to threaten Iraqi society
» utube MM&C 4/28/24 Iraq Dinar - IQD - Banks - Merge Regionally - Water - Labor -Jobs - Dinar Value
» Iraqi Business: There are no financial fears in Iraq for three years, and fear regarding the path of
» Parliament is discussing with the Finance and Retirement Law amending the Landlords Law
» Customs and taxes... Parliamentary Finance talks about huge sums of money that do not enter the stat
» Parliamentary Oil threatens to sue the Ministry of Oil over raising gasoline prices
» Iraq begins installing radiation screening gates at border crossings
» Hong Kong launches Asia's first Bitcoin and Ether ETFs
» Al-Mandalawi discusses with the delegation of the Jordanian Senate the achievement of economic integ
» Parliament draws attention to the work of security companies in Iraq and identifies the party concer
» How does a Sudanese choose the countries he visits and what are his messages?