In line with Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which focuses on peace, justice, and strong institutions, and within the framework of the Third National Action Plan for Women, Peace, and Security for the year 2025—particularly its axis on protection and prevention—the Women’s Affairs Unit at the Center for Women’s Studies organized a workshop entitled “International Protection of Women During Armed Conflicts” on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.
The workshop was presented by Assistant Lecturer Ghufran Alawi Abdullah from the Government Contracts Division at the Presidency of the University of Baghdad. In her lecture, she focused on explaining the concept of international protection of women during times of conflict, its dimensions, and legal content. She reviewed the relevant legal frameworks within international humanitarian law and the mechanisms adopted to ensure such protection.
The workshop also discussed the major challenges faced by women in conflict zones and the urgent need to activate international mechanisms to safeguard their rights and bring perpetrators of violations to justice.
The workshop concluded with several recommendations, including:
1. Calling on the international community to intensify efforts to protect women from the effects of armed conflicts and ensure accountability for those who commit violations against them.
2. Emphasizing the importance of disseminating the principles of international humanitarian law among armed forces personnel, with a focus on legal texts related to the protection of civilians, especially women.
3. Urging states that have not yet joined the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to do so in order to ensure justice for women affected by conflicts.
