Shafaqna English- 17th conference on combating violence against women was held in Baghdad. The annual ceremony was organized by the National Wisdom Movement in Baghdad to mark the Islamic Day for Combating Violence against Women, which takes place on the first of Safar each year.
In a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the Prime Minister’s media office said Al-Sudani attended the annual ceremony .
In his remarks, the Prime Minister expressed appreciation to Seyyed Ammar Al-Hakim, Head of the National Wisdom Movement, for continuing to commemorate this occasion, first initiated by the late Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim, as a tribute to the value and dignity of women. He noted that choosing the first of Safar serves as a reminder of Lady Zainab’s (SA) historic stance and speech in the court of the tyrant ruler.
Al-Sudani emphasized that the government recognizes the significant role of women in society and has prioritized their empowerment through legislative recommendations, policy directives, and the creation of a supportive environment across the public and private sectors.
“Societies that marginalize women and violate their rights cannot achieve social security,” he said, describing women as the cornerstone of social cohesion.
He underscored that Islam grants women a high status, contrary to the negative portrayals often circulated. “We are committed to empowering women and enabling their participation in nation-building, fully believing in their capabilities and right to succeed,” he said.
Al-Sudani highlighted several initiatives undertaken by his government, including the launch of the National Strategy for Women (2023–2030), the second update of the National Strategy to Combat Violence Against Women and Girls, and the third National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (2025–2030).
He also referenced the establishment of the Higher Council for Women’s Affairs, and the activation of the Yazidi Female Survivors Law, alongside the opening of social protection shelters for homeless women in four provinces, with more underway.
In a speech during the 17th Conference on Combating Violence Against Women, Al-Hakim said: “On this occasion, we are launching a genuine national and humanitarian initiative titled ‘My Family -My Homeland.'”
In his speech, Al-Hakim called for “the creation of legislation that protects women from domestic violence, digital blackmail, and harassment in the workplace; the allocation of government budgets to support abused women, marginalized women, and women who are breadwinners; the establishment and implementation of cultural and educational programs that restore women’s balanced image as honored human beings; the restoration of women’s dignity in liberated areas, camps, and informal settlements; and ensuring women’s true representation in decision-making positions as a natural right.”
Al-Hakim pointed out that “the unity of Iraqis and their rallying around their supreme religious authority in Najaf, represented by Imam Sistani and adherence to his valuable recommendations and guidance, is the best way to confront all types of dangers and challenges.”
He explained that “the language of frustration and intimidation practiced today against our people and youth is part of a psychological warfare used by the enemy against our country and our people, and the societal and political elite must confront this with strength, decisiveness, and determination, and the government and relevant institutions must not allow those with these malicious agendas to undermine the resolve of our youth and the security of our society.”
He pointed out that “there are those who want to spread hatred, animosity and discord among the people, and a serious and decisive stand must be taken against such foreign wills, He called on the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League to “take their historic and responsible role in addressing the targeting, aggression and negligence taking place in our region, and for the message of Islamic and Arab unity to be at the forefront of the decision-making process in the region.”
Source: Iraqi News Agency (INA)