Militants Sweep towards Baghdad: Women's Rights Groups Mobilize

eNews Park Forest
Park Forest, Illinois
Militants Sweep towards Baghdad: Women's Rights Groups Mobilize
12 Jun 2014

(excerpt)

...MADRE, an international women’s human rights organization, is mobilizing an emergency response to protect people at severe risk as the threat of sectarian violence grows.

Yifat Susskind, MADRE Executive Director, said today, “In a climate of rising sectarian violence, those championing secularism and human rights are particular targets. MADRE is activating a strategy to secure the safety of our partners at the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI) and the women they serve.”

OWFI has identified an urgent need to relocate residents of their women’s shelters, located in neighborhoods with deep sectarian divisions. In addition to the shelter residents, OWFI staff and supporters are also at risk because of their vocal support for secularism and women’s rights...

...MADRE and OWFI are partnering to provide emergency relocation, food and shelter to the women in the safe houses. In particular, the organizations are working to relocate a shelter into a neighboring city less marked by sectarian division.

Source: http://www.madre.org
MADRE: Demanding Rights, Resources and Results for Women Worldwide