Your Excellency Deputy Secretary of State, Mr. William Burns
Your Excellency Ambassador Stephen Beecroft
Ladies and Gentlemen
With great pleasure we at Hammorabi Human Rights Organization learned that the State Department decided to grant our Organization the award of Human Rights Defenders. This award is an honor not only for Hammorabi Human Rights Organization or me personally but for all Iraqi NGOs.
We would like to extend our gratitude and appreciation to State Department and you personally. This recognition reflects a continuous follow up on the efforts and vital role of civil society in Iraq and their contribution to building democracy, enhancing participation and promoting a culture of Human Rights in the country.
The achievements of Hammurabi organization comes as the fruit of the continuous efforts of more than 80 volunteers, working under turbulent and challenging political and security conditions to defend rights and interests of their communities with an eye on building a civil and democratic state that respects Human Rights and civil freedoms.
Please allow me to brief you on Hammorabi Human Rights Organization and summarize its achievements so far:
Hammorabi started its activities in Nineveh in 2003 and was officially registered on the first of April 2005 with no resources but the high spirit and strong will of its members to stand for and defend the rights of all Iraqis.
The founders of the organization were all Christians but their vision was to have an Iraqi organization that can include all Iraqis who are interested in defending Human Rights; and so it was. Now we have a Board of Directors reflecting Iraqi religious and ethnic diversity.
Financially, the organization started to function with nothing more than the cost of registration that we hardly managed to secure, and depended on our personal resources. The organization now finances its activities through contributions of its members and donations from Iraqi private companies and individuals in addition to the grants from international organizations.
Security was always an issue for our work. At the beginning we started to work from our houses as a safer place. Many of our members were threatened including the first Chairman of Board who had to leave the country with his family in 2007. It was until 2011 and with the support of the French cultural attaché and the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) that we managed to secure a caravan equipped with the needed supplies as the Head Quarter in a safe place in Baghdad.
Our organization maintains a democratic governing system. Its board is elected by the General Assembly for a term of 2 years in a transparent process and an open meeting attended by many of our partners.
Hammorabi Human Rights Organization has formulated its priorities taking into consideration that Iraq is passing an interim phase towards democracy, and the road is hard and long. We believe that for democracy to evolve, it is essential to create the proper environment and culture on basis of respect to Human Rights and constituting the means to protect these rights. Recognizing diversity, ensuring peaceful coexistence away from religious and ethnic fanaticism, respecting rights of women, recognizing minorities and protecting their rights, ensuring basic freedoms and peaceful transfer of power, equal opportunities and participation in the political life; those were the basis for Hammorabi Organization to pursue the following priorities:
1. Follow up on the status of religious freedom and freedom of faith, monitoring violations against the vulnerable groups like the religious minorities, develop special reports on their status, conduct studies to existing laws affecting religious freedoms and observing the victims of these laws.
2. Follow up on the status of prisoners especially the status of women and juvenile.
3. Contributing to the reform of school curriculum in line with the democratic change.
4. Implement programs directed toward women and youth.
5. Implement programs directed toward the returnees and the displaced minorities.
6. Support children with disabilities and victims of violence and terrorism.
By the end of 2012 and based on the above priorities, Hammorabi organization with the support of its local and international partners was able to achieve the following:
• Issued and published a detailed report on the status of minorities in Iraq.
• The organization with the support of Christian Solidarity International (CSI) convened two wide conferences on legal reforms and raised recommendations to the government and competent authorities to amend these laws that have significant impacts on freedom of religion and belief in Iraq.
• Organized a visit to Al Rasafa prison and issued a detailed report on the status of women and juvenile in that prison.
• Worked through the Alliance of Iraqi Minorities (AIM) on recommendations for reforming school books for Grade 5-Grade 9 to be more sensitive to minorities. The Ministry of Education did adopt some of the changes in 2013 edition and we are still following up on including other changes in next year edition.
• The organization and with the support of CSI implemented 2 humanitarian projects supporting members of various minority communities in Nineveh valley, Duhuk, Zakho, and Erbil.
• The organization also, conducted many workshops to students and youth that aims at building their capacity to advocate for their rights. The fruit of the advocacy efforts of both Hammorabi and those youth was articulated in the establishment of Al Hammadania University in Nineveh Plain.
• Hammorabi also focused on empowering women and conducted many workshops on the importance of participation of women in the political process and on early diagnosis of breast cancer.
• The organization also conducted humanitarian aid to children with special needs and supporting families in need and the victims of violence and terrorism.
I would like to point here that this award represents a great moral support and will put us in front of larger responsibilities. Also, such recognition to an Iraqi NGO will encourage other Iraqi organizations to play a larger role in the change towards democracy.
At the end, and on behalf of the Board of Directors of Hammorabi Human Rights Organization and all of its members, I would like to extend my gratitude to his Excellency the Secretary of State Mr. John Kerry, Ambassador Stephen Beecroft and all his honorable team. A special thank for Ms. Kristin Gillmor the political officer, Ms. Lucy Shang the Senior Democracy Advisor. Also I would like to thank the Ministry of Human Rights for their cooperation and response to the reports of the organization; The Ministry of Education and the Standing Committee of Education in the Council of Representative for their cooperation in the process of reforming school curriculum, and all our local and international partners and friends for their continuous support.
And of course, I would like to extend my utmost appreciation and gratitude to all members of Hammorabi Organization. Their collective efforts, dedication and commitments are the driving forces of the organization.
Please allow me to say: This award is the fruit of the collective efforts of all, a victory for all and for a civilized and democratic Iraq …the guarantor and protector of human rights.
William Warda