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Asuda

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Asuda for Combating Violence against Women is a women's rights organization in Iraqi Kurdistan, Iraq. It provides protection, support and help to victims of gender-based violence. Asuda is a non-profit, non-governmental, non-affiliated organization based in Sulaymaniyah and Iraqi Kurdistan. Asuda is a member of NGOs Coordination Committee for Iraq.[1]

Asuda
Founded2001
TypeNon-profit organization
FocusWomen free from violence and abuse
Location
Area served
Iraq, Kurdistan Region
ServicesProtection, Awareness, Research and Advocacy
MethodGrants, Funding, campaigns
Key people
Khanim Rahim Latif (executive director)
Employees25
Volunteers10
Websitewww.asuda.org

Background

Violence against women and honor killings are a key social problem in Iraqi Kurdistan. Despite efforts from civil society to end killings, the rate of violence is increasing. Respect for women and women's rights continue to be a controversial and sensitive issue. Honor killings are accepted within 'tribal' or customary laws. Women that are suspected to have sex before marriage, raped women, or a woman who got married and got children without the family's acceptance, may be killed to restore family honor.

In 2000 Asuda opened the first women's shelter in the Kurdish region. Asuda means "providing comfort". It provides protection to women who are threatened by honor killings. Some of these women even have to leave Kurdistan or Iraq. Asuda assists women from different ethnic and religious origins across Iraq as well as neighbouring countries. Its objectives are as follows:

  • Eradication of discrimination and all forms of violence against women including FGM[2] in the Kurdish society.
  • Breaking taboos of bringing up women's rights issues and influence the public opinion in favour of women's rights.
  • Promoting the awareness of the public about the negative consequences of violence against women.
  • Reinforcing lobbying groups to amend relevant laws and legislations that are against the interests of women's rights, and that encourage violence against women and abuse of women's rights.

To achieve its objectives, Asuda implements the following activities:

  • Protection: the shelter protects hundreds of women facing gender-based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM), and abuse or honor killing threats. More women come to the centre for mediation services, counseling, and/or legal aid.
  • Awareness: Asuda cooperates with authorities and police and tries to increase police awareness on honor killings and violence against women. Asuda also aims to raise the awareness of citizens through various local media outlets, campaigns, seminars. It has published booklets and books to inform people about women's rights and violence.
  • Research and monitoring: Asuda collects and compiles data and statistics on violence against women cases and plans to set up an online database. An example is the cases collection of women that have committed suicide or died as result of honor killing.
  • Lobby: Asuda works closely with the Kurdistan Regional Government and tries to influence the development of legal standards and the improvement of laws that should protect women. Women's rights are now one of the Kurdish government's priorities, partly due to Asuda's advocacy.

Asuda relies on grants and donations from local, national, regional and international donors and organizations including United Nations agencies and programs and the European Union.[3][4][5][6][7][8] Asuda has received many grants from key international and regional organizations including UN agencies and program as well as embassies and ministries of foreign affairs of European Union as well as the United States.

Due to the controversy of Asuda's work and the perception of the local communities to its work and activities, Asuda has come under several direct and indirect threats and attacks. The most serious attack on Asuda was a gunfire attack[9][10][11][12][13][14] on Asuda's main office in Sulaymaniyah on 11 May 2008 where unknown gunmen opened fire on Asuda and seriously injured a woman inside the building.

References

  1. ^ User, Super. "Our Members - (NCCI) | NGO Coordination Committee for Iraq". www.ncciraq.org. Retrieved 2016-03-21. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  2. ^ Martin Chulov. "The razor and the damage done: female genital mutilation in Kurdish Iraq | World news". The Guardian. Retrieved 2016-03-15.
  3. ^ https://grants.globalfundforwomen.org/GFWSearch/index.php?id=20646
  4. ^ "WISE". Wisemuslimwomen.org. Retrieved 2016-03-15.
  5. ^ [1][dead link‍]
  6. ^ "Asuda". Urgent Action Fund. Retrieved 2016-03-15.
  7. ^ "Kurdistan Update : Follow up visit – 20 years after the Uprising" (PDF). Krg.org. June 2011. Retrieved 2016-03-15.
  8. ^ [2][dead link‍]
  9. ^ [3][dead link‍]
  10. ^ "Condemns Gun Attack on Women's Shelter in Kurdistan, Iraq | KHRP | Kurdish Human Rights Project". Khrp.org. 2008-05-11. Retrieved 2016-03-15.
  11. ^ [4][dead link‍]
  12. ^ "Asuda Shelter Comes Under Attack | Kvinna till Kvinna - promotes peace and gender equality". Old.kvinnatillkvinna.se. Retrieved 2016-03-15.
  13. ^ "Iraq: gunmen attack women's shelter | World War 4 Report". Ww4report.com. Retrieved 2016-03-15.
  14. ^ "Country Profiles | Amnesty International". Amnesty.org. Retrieved 2016-03-15.
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