Baghdad, Iraq - 13 June 2023
Representatives from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Iraqi Government, the international community, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and the media gathered today in Baghdad, Iraq to mark the achievements of the project “Supporting victims of terrorism within the criminal justice framework, including psychological support” in Iraq and its latest awareness raising campaign “Victims’ Voices, Silencing Terrorism.” The project is implemented by UNODC, in partnership with the Lebanese Association for Victims of Terrorism (AVT-L), and is generously funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The ceremony held was in the presence of Dr Essam Al-Saadi, Deputy National Security Adviser, Ms. Laetitia van Asch, Chargée d’Affaires, Embassy of Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mr. Ali Elbereir, Head of UNODC Office in Iraq, Ms. Fernanda Lombardi, UNODC Terrorism Prevention Branch (TPB) Section Chief for MENA and Gulf countries, Ms. Hagar Farag, Terrorism Prevention Programme Officer in MENA, Mr. Mostafa Eldoush, Terrorism Prevention Branch Programme Associate, and Ms. Roula Al-Helou, President of the Association of Victims of Terrorism in Lebanon.
“It is important to help the victims voice out what they have been through and facilitate their rehabilitation, especially women and children. We understand the trauma they were subjected to. Hence, we must restore their confidence, re-integrate them into society, and consider them owners of a cause,” Dr Essam Al-Saadi, Deputy National Security Adviser stated at the ceremony.
The project started in 2020 and achieved a notable impact by working to address the different challenges faced by victims of terrorism in the aftermath of terrorist attacks in Iraq. The achievements of the project include providing psychological and psychosocial support to victims; supporting the coordination of all law enforcement and criminal justice agencies involved at all stages of victims’ interaction with the criminal justice system; holding victim-sensitive approaches for dealing with victims; enhancing the effectiveness of the procedures regulating victims’ status, participation and protection in court proceedings as well as the timely and fair restitution, reparation and compensation of victims; and finally enhancing the role of the media in raising awareness on the resilience of the victims.
Ms. Laetitia van Asch, Chargée d’Affaires, Embassy of Kingdom of the Netherlands to Iraq noted that “The Netherlands pays its respect to all survivors of terrorism. Their experiences and stories have been touching, and their strength and resilience is admirable. We are happy to support the survivors in their journey towards a better future.”
The “Victims’ Voices, Silencing Terrorism” campaign was held on social media, with reach to thousands across Iraq and the region, and focused on providing an alternative narrative to that of terrorist groups by raising awareness of the resilience of victims of terrorism and the importance of having their voices heard. The messages and stories they tell have the power to silence the negative and harmful fear-oriented messages spread by terrorist groups. The campaign featured several victims of terrorism, who have been supported by the project, as they used their voices to tell their own stories of resilience and overcoming and spoke of how more victims should be encouraged to do the same. The campaign also focused on highlighting the importance of understanding who is a victim of terrorism, what are the victims’ needs, the role of the community, and the achievements of the project.
"The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is aware of the important role that Iraq plays in providing the means and efforts to support victims of terrorism - by making their voices and testimonies heard - to achieve desired justice and combat terrorism for its crimes against the rights of all humanity.... We are hoping that this campaign succeeds in achieving its desired goals in conveying a message to the Iraqi community and the international community on the importance of strengthening solidarity with victims of terrorism and supporting their role - as our partners - in combating violent extremism that leads to terrorism at the national and international levels,” Mr. Ali Elbereir, Head of UNODC Office in Iraq affirmed at the ceremony.
The project is considered a step in the path to effectively supporting victims of terrorism in Iraq and is a foundation for further collaboration and partnership between UNODC and the Government of Iraq on this subject.
For more information about the campaign:
UNODC ROMENA Facebook – YouTube – Twitter – LinkedIn
Contact information:
Ms. Nermine Abdelhamid
UNODC ROMENA Communications and Visibility Officer
