12 April 2022; Baghdad, Iraq - UNFPA signed on Tuesday a Joint Cooperation Framework with the Iraqi Alliance of Disability Organization (IADO) to promote disability inclusion in alignment with the UN Iraq Disability Inclusion Strategy and address the gaps.

This joint cooperation framework enables UNFPA and IADO to strategise and establish an advisory board that will ensure the rights of persons with disabilities, especially the rights of women and girls with disabilities to access reproductive healthcare.

The partnership will allow both parties to raise awareness on prevention and response to gender-based violence, advocacy for disability inclusion in legislation, policies and programmes at the central, regional and local levels, and promote youth empowerment across Iraq.

Mofaq Tofiq, the president of the Iraqi Alliance of Disability Organization highlighted the importance of this partnership for further collaboration to uphold the rights of persons with disability and ensure their participation in the society.

For his part, the Deputy Representative of UNFPA, Mr Himyar Abdulmoghni said that: “IADO has been UNFPA's strategic partner for several years. Today's signature of a cooperative framework between IADO and UNFPA confirms our strong partnership and ensures that issues of people with disability are mainstreamed throughout UNFPA's programmes in Iraq. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with IADO so that the people with disabilities in Iraq, particularly the women and girls can enjoy their reproductive health and rights.”

UNFPA and IADO will jointly support advocacy initiatives for inclusion of and awareness about persons with disabilities. The JCF further outlines plans for capacity building activities for IADO staff focused on project design and implementation, advocacy, and other areas identified through a needs assessment.

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UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, delivers a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

For more information or media inquiries please contact: Salwa Moussa, Communications Specialist, smoussa@unfpa.org