By invitation of the Center for Women’s Global Leadership and with the support of UNFPA, CGDS held an event during the 16 Days of Activism to investigate the safety of public spaces in Sulaimani. Nineteen women—AUIS alumni, women with disabilities, and representatives from five disability advocacy organizations attended the event, which was followed by lunch at Magma Square. This community circle, convened on December 8, 2020, was one of several that took place around the world to determine indicators for improvement of public space for marginalized women. Dr. Choman Hardi, CGDS Director, and Dr. Lynn Rose, CGDS Deputy Director, hosted the event and facilitated a wide range of questions about the interactions of gender, disability, and public space. CGDS staff Mr. Hamno Nawzad, Ms. Savan Abdalrahman, Ms. Sewe Anwar, Ms. Shanya Mohammed, and Ms. Tara Burhan all participated in the event.
Photo description: There are two photos. In one, five women sit in blue chairs with metal arms around a small square table, looking down at papers on the table; the woman in the far left corner writes in a notebook. Four of the five women wear hijabs; two wear masks. The walls in the room are light brown wood and we see a white door with a green exit sign above it. In the other photo, four women sit in a row at a large brown table. On the left, a woman with a head covering is speaking; we see her in three-quarter profile. The other three women are looking at her. All four wear masks. Behind them, we see four double panes of frosted glass through which the shape of a coatrack is visible. There are papers and bottles of water on the table.