As part of our role as implementing partner with UNPA in a project to improve gender equity, CGDS is holding focus group discussions during the Sixteen Days of Activism against GBV in order to report the views of vulnerable populations to representatives of the ministries. The second focus group, held on December 2, 2020, consisted of 14 guests, including judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and government workers. We discussed, among other issues, legal gaps in relation to sexual-and-gender-based violence and barriers in relation to implementing reformed laws. Dr. Choman Hardi, CGDS Director, served as moderator. Dr. Lynn Rose and Dr. Twana Abdwlrahman were also in attendance, as well as CGDS assistants Ms. Shanya Mohammed and Mr. Hamno Nawzad.
Photo description: Fifteen people sit in a semicircle, facing a large screen onto which is projected writing too small to make out. The floor has muted blue carpet; the chairs are metal with beige upholstering, and the walls are light brown wood. Between each chair is a small table upon which is bottled water and small notebooks. The people’s backs are to us. One woman, with long dark hair, is speaking, gesturing widely; most of the other people are looking at her. Of the fifteen people, eight are women.