14 September 2021; Baghdad, Iraq - UNFPA & Qadisiyah Governorate signed a cooperation agreement today to scale up the support to girls and women in the governorate. 

The agreement signed by Dr Rita Columbia, UNFPA Representative, and Mr Zuhair Ali Al-Shaalan, the Governor of Qadisiyah will ensure that women and girls have access to protection and proper services to respond to gender-based violence. In addition, it will provide the Directorates of Health, Labour and Social Affairs, and Interior (Family Protection Unit) with the opportunity to strengthen their expertise on service delivery to survivors to deal with gender-based violence.

Speaking during the ceremony, Mr Al-Shaalan emphasised the governorate’s full support to work with UNFPA to ensure the success of the project to provide quality service to women and girls. He also reiterated the governorate’s efforts to enhance the role of women and girls, increase equality in leadership roles and become a unique model for active communities to contribute to the development process.

Dr Columbia thanked the governor for supporting the needs and rights of women and girls in Qadisiyah: ”On behalf of UNFPA Iraq, I welcome this initiative and look forward to our joint actions to protect women and girls from violence and provide them with so much needed services.” 

The cooperation agreement between UNFPA and the Governorate is within the UNFPA 2020-2024 Country Programme Document and the Memorandum of Understanding between UNFPA & the Government of Iraq, through the Ministry of Planning.

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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  009647809171035