International Conference on “The Role of Women in Peace-Building, Reconciliation and Accountability in Iraq”

 
The International Alliance for Justice (IAJ) and No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ), in cooperation with the Foundation for the Future and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, and with support from the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Government of Italy, the Iraqi Council of Representatives, and the Kurdistan Parliament-Iraq, organised an International Conference titled "The Role of Women in Peace-Building, Reconciliation and Accountability in Iraq," that was held in Erbil, Kurdistan-Iraq, from 27 to 28 January 2011. 
 
The conference, which was opened by the Presidencies of the Iraqi Council of Representatives and the Kurdistan Parliament-Iraq, gathered more than 300 political figures, including eminent Leaders and Members of both the Iraqi Council of Representatives and the Kurdistan Parliament—Iraq, political leaders and representatives of Iraq’s national and regional institutions, traditional and institutional leaders, and prominent women from the broadest geographic, political, and professional spectrum across Iraq, high-level representatives of the UN, the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Conferences, representatives from the Italian, French and Swedish governments as well as senior international experts from across the world (South Africa, Northern Ireland, the Balkans, South America, Asia, and the Middle East and North African region) with first-hand experience of promoting women’s rights.
The International Conference, which is the culmination of a long programme of reconciliation and accountability related advocacy and research undertaken by the organisers, both in Iraq and abroad,  represented a significant step towards securing Iraqi women an equitable voice within their country’s political, judicial, economic, and other public institutions. The Conference concluded on Friday night 28 January 2011 with the adoption of a Final Communiqué advocating for the protection and promotion of the rights of women in Iraq, and their leading role in the country’s ongoing accountability and reconciliation process.
 

The document is the result of a two-days susbtantive dialogue and consultation articulated in four parallel sessions through which participants discussed in detail the many specific components of the role of women in the country’s ongoingreconciliation and accountability process, including its political, economic, and cultural dimensions. Among its main recommendations, the document calls to end impunity and secure punishment in all cases of violence against women and to review all Iraqi legislation, reform all laws identified as discriminatory towards women on the basis of gender, as well as to adopt specific measures to increase women’s political participation.
 
The recommendations for institutional, legislative, and organisational reform that emerged from the Conference will serve as a crucial foundation for future initiatives promoting gender equality, and consolidate progress towards securing an inclusive democratic future for Iraq on the basis of comprehensive accountability and reconciliation.

 
Simultaneous interpretation were provided for all Conference sessions in Kurdish, Arabic, and English.
 
Documentation:
Final Communiqué
Program
List of participants
Press coverage
Photo gallery: part 1 - part 2

 
For more information, please contact:
Mr. Nicola Giovannini (NPWJ):  E-mail:  ngiovannini@npwj.org - Phone: +964 750 615 6938
Mr. Danny Beyaa (IAJ): danbeyaa1@yahoo.com - Phone: +964 750 745 5278