Social Justice Day
Social Justice Day Event
20th of February, 2024
Duhok
On Tuesday, the 20th of September, Hope Makers Organization held an event commemorating Social Justice Day. Social Justice Day is held each year to promote access to civil rights, and address issues such as inequality, poverty, and discrimination. The global challenge of accessing Social Justice is a struggle experienced by millions. In this event, the Hope Makers Organization specifically addresses the unique challenges confronted by the Yezidi community.
The Yezidi community continues its journey of recovery from the Yezidi Genocide perpetrated by ISIS. However, justice remains elusive. Countless Yezidi women are still unaccounted for, prompting ongoing appeals from the community for justice, reparations, and assistance from both national and international entities.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Shamoon Shlemon, Deputy Governor of Duhok, emphasised the transformative power of educating women, stating, "When you educate one woman, you educate an entire society. Therefore, it's crucial to strive for improved opportunities, especially for Yezidi women, who have endured unimaginable atrocities."
The Consul General of France in Erbil, Mr. Rodolphe Richard stated, "France is committed to supporting the Sinjar community, particularly through organisations like Hope Makers. We have been focusing on bolstering hospitals, enhancing medical staff capabilities, and providing crucial mental health and psychosocial support to affected communities."
Mr. Naif Saido, the Mayor of Sinjar, underscored, "Sinjar continues to grapple with the aftermath of conflict and devastation, necessitating a substantial increase in services. Our women and girls face significant challenges due to the lack of job opportunities, leading to major economic hurdles."
The founder and executive manager of Hope Makers Organization, Dr. Nagham, said, "The people of Sinjar continue to face significant challenges, especially following the atrocities committed by ISIS in 2014. Since 2021, we have assisted 16,091 individuals in Sinjar. Implementing projects in such a context is challenging, and creating safe spaces is crucial for facilitating healing, especially for women in the region."
Following the opening words, Hope Makers Organization and Premiere Urgence Internationale (PUI) presented key findings from a survey conducted earlier this year examining the correlation between mental health and economic susceptibility in Sinjar. Additionally, the teams provided a preview of the survey results, which are scheduled for formal publication later this month.
In addition to the speakers mentioned above, the event included many esteemed guests Furthermore, the event featured numerous distinguished attendees from government bodies, international and local non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as Yezidi survivors and talented painters who exhibited their paintings within the event.
The panel discussion, moderated by activist and researcher Khider Domli, was held as part of the Social Justice Day event organised by Hope Makers organisation for Women. The participants included Haidar Elias, President of Yazda; Silvana Naxush, a lawyer from Farida Global; Saeed Khudeda, a lawyer from Harikar organisation; and Gohdar Joqi, a Community Leader.
Key priorities /takeaways or points drawn from the panel discussions were as follows:
Ongoing Conflict: Despite the departure of ISIS from the region, conflicts persist.
Government Negligence: The Iraqi government's lack of serious financial support and reimbursement for Sinjar areas was highlighted.
Unpaid Dues: Yazidis have not received their financial entitlements.
Lack of Accountability: Failure to hold ISIS accountable for their actions.
Legal Amendments: Calls for amendments to laws affecting Yezidi survivors to ensure their safety.
Impact on Reconstruction: Negative impacts on the reconstruction of Sinjar due to regional and governmental factors.
International Support: A plea for assistance from the international community for Sinjar's reconstruction.
Enforcement and Planning: Lack of enforcement of laws and inadequate planning, particularly regarding economic opportunities for the Yezidi community.
Persistent Social Injustice: Acknowledgment of social injustice damaging the community on multiple levels.
The Hope Makers Organization extends heartfelt gratitude to all those who generously devoted their time to attend and actively contribute to the event. Our organisation maintains a steadfast dedication to addressing social justice issues affecting the Yezidi community, recognizing it as a top priority. We are steadfast in our commitment to cultivating a fairer world, with a particular focus on advancing the rights and opportunities of Yezidi women and girls, as well as the broader community. We extend special appreciation to Mr. Khider Domli for serving as our panel moderator, and to our esteemed panellists for their invaluable participation in this crucial conversation.
This event was orchestrated in collaboration with Premiere Urgence Internationale as an integral component of our joint project, generously backed by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Follow us for updates on Hope Makers Organization for Woman ongoing initiatives and to delve deeper into the study shared during the event.