Past Projects
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Women's Rights and International Law
WAFDI and the Global Justice Center jointly organized a three-day conference on
women’s rights and international law November 13th – 15th, 2006 at the Dead Sea,
Jordan. Attendees included twenty members of the Iraqi High Tribunal (IHT) and
representatives from the President’s office, the Prime Minister’s office, the
Parliament, the Ministry of Human Rights, Chief Judge of Commission on Public
Integrity as well as prominent members of civil society.
Click here for full report of the event.
Democracy Training for Women:
WAFDI brought 13 Iraqi women to the United States for democracy training. They
attended courses with organizations such as IRI, NDI, IFES, FDD,USIP and IWF and
many other through a USAID-funded training program. This training course was very
beneficial to the women especially to those who were candidates hopefuls. The
practical setting of the course allowed them to learn theories as well as practices at
the same time. The Iraqi women delegate shadowed members of congress at the
Capitol building. They each came out with different experience and was mutually
beneficial experience. The highlight of the courses were when the women met with
the President at the Oval Office, and spoke to him directly about their experiences.
WAFDI hopes that it will be able to bring more Iraqi women to train on similar courses
in the future.
Human Rights and Women's Rights training
WAFDI sponsored human rights and women's rights training in Baghdad conducted
by Ms. Janet Benshoof, an international human rights and women's rights lawyer and
Harvard professor conducted the training. The seminar was carried out on the edge
of the green zone, at Baghdad Central Criminal Court. Although our seminar
happened at the same time as the last meeting day of the Iraqi National conference,
more than 40 professional women attended the conference. And their response was
heartwarming.
The trainees learned about the basic human rights laws, the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and and CEDAW. The training was attended by 90 Iraqi women
professionals. The training produced 16 women volunteers to work as human rights
monitors and report abuses in women's rights.
Sewing Machines
With a small budget of only $700 WAFDI members purchased and distributed 15
sewing machines to 15 Iraqi women in areas of Shu'la, Thawra, Abu Ghraib in
Baghdad and in rural areas in Nassiriya. The Project's goal is to help women achieve
economic self-sufficiency by encouraging them to work from home and generate
income to support their families.
The project that was completed on Nov 4 -5, 2004 met great success wih the women
participants who applauded the efforts of WAFDI in reaching out to them at this basic
level and asked that it continues to help them with future projects.
I love Iraq Essay Contest:
WAFDI implemented a multi phase "love of Iraq" essay contest. The first phase took
place during the 2003 / 2004 school year for first second and third grade students.
This project was done only in Baghdad as a pilot project before taking it to other
provinces. It was very successful and we are in the planning stage of the second
phase of the project. The prize amount was set for $100.00 per student per grade
level. This amount is considered high for an average Iraqi family, but it was essential
to attract the adults to help their children with this contest. The love of the country
will then be spread to the larger population much faster if it was approached through
their children.
Cultural Arts Paintings:
This project was designed to paint all the old Saddam's picture murals in Iraq with
cultural and historical paintings. While in Iraq, one would notice the "Empty Frames"
where Saddam's pictures were all over the country. What we wanted to do was to
have Iraqi women students artists paint these murals with cultural, and historical Iraqi
paintings. This will improve the image of Iraq, and will give the Iraqis a constant
reminder of how wonderful, beautiful, and historical country they live in.
WAFDI and the Global Justice Center jointly organized a three-day conference on
women’s rights and international law November 13th – 15th, 2006 at the Dead Sea,
Jordan. Attendees included twenty members of the Iraqi High Tribunal (IHT) and
representatives from the President’s office, the Prime Minister’s office, the
Parliament, the Ministry of Human Rights, Chief Judge of Commission on Public
Integrity as well as prominent members of civil society.
Click here for full report of the event.
Democracy Training for Women:
WAFDI brought 13 Iraqi women to the United States for democracy training. They
attended courses with organizations such as IRI, NDI, IFES, FDD,USIP and IWF and
many other through a USAID-funded training program. This training course was very
beneficial to the women especially to those who were candidates hopefuls. The
practical setting of the course allowed them to learn theories as well as practices at
the same time. The Iraqi women delegate shadowed members of congress at the
Capitol building. They each came out with different experience and was mutually
beneficial experience. The highlight of the courses were when the women met with
the President at the Oval Office, and spoke to him directly about their experiences.
WAFDI hopes that it will be able to bring more Iraqi women to train on similar courses
in the future.
Human Rights and Women's Rights training
WAFDI sponsored human rights and women's rights training in Baghdad conducted
by Ms. Janet Benshoof, an international human rights and women's rights lawyer and
Harvard professor conducted the training. The seminar was carried out on the edge
of the green zone, at Baghdad Central Criminal Court. Although our seminar
happened at the same time as the last meeting day of the Iraqi National conference,
more than 40 professional women attended the conference. And their response was
heartwarming.
The trainees learned about the basic human rights laws, the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and and CEDAW. The training was attended by 90 Iraqi women
professionals. The training produced 16 women volunteers to work as human rights
monitors and report abuses in women's rights.
Sewing Machines
With a small budget of only $700 WAFDI members purchased and distributed 15
sewing machines to 15 Iraqi women in areas of Shu'la, Thawra, Abu Ghraib in
Baghdad and in rural areas in Nassiriya. The Project's goal is to help women achieve
economic self-sufficiency by encouraging them to work from home and generate
income to support their families.
The project that was completed on Nov 4 -5, 2004 met great success wih the women
participants who applauded the efforts of WAFDI in reaching out to them at this basic
level and asked that it continues to help them with future projects.
I love Iraq Essay Contest:
WAFDI implemented a multi phase "love of Iraq" essay contest. The first phase took
place during the 2003 / 2004 school year for first second and third grade students.
This project was done only in Baghdad as a pilot project before taking it to other
provinces. It was very successful and we are in the planning stage of the second
phase of the project. The prize amount was set for $100.00 per student per grade
level. This amount is considered high for an average Iraqi family, but it was essential
to attract the adults to help their children with this contest. The love of the country
will then be spread to the larger population much faster if it was approached through
their children.
Cultural Arts Paintings:
This project was designed to paint all the old Saddam's picture murals in Iraq with
cultural and historical paintings. While in Iraq, one would notice the "Empty Frames"
where Saddam's pictures were all over the country. What we wanted to do was to
have Iraqi women students artists paint these murals with cultural, and historical Iraqi
paintings. This will improve the image of Iraq, and will give the Iraqis a constant
reminder of how wonderful, beautiful, and historical country they live in.
