Internews in cooperation with the ‘Center for Gender and Development Studies’ and ‘Women for Progress Center’, organized a conference from April 24-26, 2018 of selected women journalists and women human rights defenders (WHRDs) across Iraq to create a coalition.
The coalition committed to building the capacity of women's organizations and journalists for better advocacy and more sensitive reporting of sexual- and gender-based violence (SGBV).
Some 29 Iraqi women were selected to participate in the three-day conference that took place in Sulaimani. The summit consisted of trainings, workshops and focus group discussions. By the end of the conference, six participants were chosen to act as coalition coordinators.
Members of the coalition will initiate a series of 15 guided small discussion groups or round tables around the country to encourage debate about SGBV issues and the impact on society in an effort to continue conversations at the local level which were initiated at the conference.