WOMEN FOR WOMEN
Yezidi women come together to support each other and find ways to manage extreme stress and depression. PHOTO/Alison Baskerville, 2016
“Our women have been driven from their homeland, and come here living under very difficult conditions. They feel vulnerable. But they are strong women. What they need is a center like this, so they can come and find strength.”
Amal is one of the more than 4 million refugees and displaced people struggling to rebuild their lives in Iraq. Today, Women for Women International is working to help Syrian and Yezidi women who have been forced to flee to northern Iraq because of conflict and war.
Displaced for months or years, women face challenges that threaten their basic security, economic well-being, and survival. They are targets of sexual harassment and gender-based violence in their families, camps, and host communities. They struggle to earn money to support their families. Many say they are hungry. They have survived extreme trauma and stress, and they are ready to move forward.
Creating a safe space to access trained counselors
In response to this crisis, Women for Women International is working with local organizations in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) to reach the most vulnerable women in need of support, including those suffering severe emotional trauma, at high risk of violence, and living in extreme poverty. Over the next three years, WfWI will provide psychosocial support services, and life and business skills training to 3,000 Syrian and Yezidi women in the KRI to help them overcome trauma and find the resources needed to rebuild their lives.
Women for Women for more