By awarding Yanar Mohammed the Rafto Prize for 2016, the Rafto Foundation wishes to highlight the serious human rights violations occurring in Iraq, the lack of legal protection that affects women and vulnerable groups in particular, and the crucial importance of providing protection to human rights defenders.
Human rights violations are committed by many different parties. IS is one group that has come in for attention, but rights violations are also committed by the Iraqi authorities and groups supported by the international community.
Human rights and women’s rights cannot be set aside in conflict; they must be protected. Responsibility for securing basic human rights and enabling organisations to provide assistance to victims of violations lies with the Iraqi authorities.
We call on Norway and the international community to raise human rights issues, and especially issues of women’s rights, in their exchanges with the Iraqi government. These issues must also be taken into consideration when deciding which groups are to receive military support and training, and such groups must be required to respect human rights.
In this work, Norway must seek the advice of Iraqi women’s organisations. Women must never again be sacrificed in the pursuit of military victory in the short term.
(Source: Rafto)
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