French Ambassador: We have provided one million euros to support and develop women’s protection centers in Iraq

Baghdad The French Embassy in Baghdad sent a set of messages to coincide with the global campaign to combat violence against women, and also called on Parliament and the government to legislate and implement this law next year.

French Ambassador Eric Chevalier said that during the celebration of the launch of the 16 days of activities to combat violence against women, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program in Iraq and the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, today, Sunday in the capital, Baghdad, “the presence of the Prime Minister for such important activities is a very strong and promising message, and I also thank all those present, including them.” civil society activists to create these important preparations on a daily basis.

He added, “My first message includes demonstrating because violence against women is everywhere, not just here or there, and we have in France a woman who dies every three days because of violence. There is a great need to shed light on efforts to combat violent practices.”

He explained, “There are successful practices and we have built structures that support and strengthen survivors and expedite the reporting process, including medical staff, and provide hotlines for women who are at risk and threat, but we are still hopeful in the work we have done.”

He continued, “My second message is advocacy and support so that we can support all women around the world, and France has an international strategy based on advocacy and support for the monitored activities, and therefore we are big supporters of the Istanbul Summit Agreement and against gender-based violence, and we will encourage all countries to ratify the Istanbul Treaty.”

Speaking about the concrete measures, the French Ambassador said, “We have established a support fund dedicated to all cases and provides 120 million euros for three years.”

He added, “In particular in Iraq, we have expanded and strengthened women’s protection centers, and we have provided one million euros to improve this center in Baghdad and establish three main centers in other regions,” stressing, “We are pleased with this close joint coordination between the Ministry of Labor and international bodies, and I also visited this center and I was astonished by the presence of survivors who spent more than three years and spent part of their childhood in these centers.”

He added, “the third message is the call to action and for the relevant ministries to cooperate with the judiciary to find appropriate solutions for these women in the centers, especially since there are surviving women who are young in age and can be reintegrated into society with all security measures. I also hope that the Iraqi parliament will enact a law in 2023 to combat gender-based violence.

The French Ambassador reconfirmed by saying, “I hope that Parliament and the Iraqi authorities will vote and implement this ambitious law to end gender-based violence.”

Source: National Iraqi News Agency