Project profile — Enhanced Governance for Improving the Well-Being of the Most Vulnerable Women and Girls in Iraq

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, especially for the most vulnerable and marginalized, are advanced through 2,000 decision- makers trained to address gender equality (GE) and GBV issues, and at least three national policies and two laws integrate GE; (2) 12 advocacy campaigns on GE, GBV, and harmful practices led by authorities and coordinated by the UNFPA; (3) significant rise (40% in targeted groups) in awareness of domestic abuse, and legal and protection recourses; (4) more than 800 women accessing new protection support in 4 new shelters; (5) women and girls, especially those most vulnerable, utilize integrated sexual and reproductive health services, and exercise reproductive rights, free of coercion, discrimination and violence through: 2,000 health workers trained in reproductive health, and 40 health facilities receive new equipment; (6) reproductive health data improved through 4 surveys (in conflict-affected areas); increased use of contraceptives; (7) high proportion of deliveries attended by skilled health workers.

Results achieved as of December 2020 include: (1) provided 29,182 women and girls access to gender-based violence (GBV) services through women protection facilities in 12 districts of Iraq; (2) facilitated the participation of 295 individuals, including gender-based violence (GBV) specialists, case managers, and GBV and Reproductive Health (RH) coordinators in Iraq, in writing GBV standard operating procedures; (3) reviewed or developed policies and legal frameworks of a clinical management of rape protocol, a child marriage strategy, a national GBV strategy and national and regional violence against women strategies and action plans, through United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) coordination with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq’s High Council of Women’s Affairs and the Supreme Judicial Council; (4) facilitated the UNFPA in conducting four advocacy campaigns in coordination with authorities in federal Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq ; (5) revised one reproductive health policy and finalized a family planning strategy; (6) trained 31 social workers and case managers to provide GBV services through a hotline centre; (7) trained 400 health workers on reproductive health topics; and (8) supported 55 health facilities with reproductive health commodities and equipment.