Human Rights Education Workshop

June 2006

In collaboration with the Ministry of Human Rights, the Iraq Foundation conducted three human rights workshops as part of its Human Rights Education Project. Over 165 individuals representing various organizations, members of civil society, and government officials participated in these workshops.

The first human rights workshop was held to highlight the growing issue of prisoner treatment and educated Iraqi stakeholders on the Geneva Convention. The second human rights workshop focused on the role of academia in strengthening civil society institutions. IF staff also conducted a human rights workshop to promote the rights and needs of Iraq ’s disabled populations.

The Iraq Foundation, recognizing the need for a greater understanding of human rights in prisoner treatment, completed a human rights education workshop on the Geneva Convention. The workshop’s 36 participants included prison police, employees of the Ministry of Defense, Interior, and Justice, and representatives of civil society. The workshop was held to educate civil servants and civil society on the Geneva Convention. This workshop was held in Baghdad from the 5 – 8 June, 2006 in our Human Rights Resource Center in Baghdad.

The Iraq Foundation also conducted a one-day workshop at al Mostansariya University on the 14 June, which highlighted the role of academia in strengthening civil society organizations. 28 people participated in the workshop, including academics from al Mostansariya University and civil society representatives. The workshop covered the constitutional articles that focus on rights and freedoms and discussed the role of academics in promoting and strengthening them.

In June, Iraq Foundation staff also focused on the rights and needs of Iraq’s disabled population. From the 25 th to the 28 th of June, foundation staff held a workshop for 28 civil servants working with handicapped persons at the Ministry of Education, Labor, and Health and various representatives of non governmental organizations who assist disabled persons.