Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights Life to Build a Self-Determined, Healthy Future

Our Mission

Te Jiyan Foundation supports survivors of human rights violations, defends fundamental freedoms, and promotes democratic values in Iraq and Syria. Our Vision We strive for a democratic society where the dignity of the human person is protected, where adults and children enjoy the right to life and liberty, and where citizens are free from torture and terror. Our Values Te core values guiding our work are expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We believe in the inherent dignity of the human person and seek to promote respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms laid down in the Universal Declaration. We help survivors of human rights abuses regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity or spiritual beliefs. Our History In 2005, we opened Iraq’s frst treatment center for survivors of torture in the multiethnic city of Kirkuk. Since then, we have established a network of 12 branches throughout Iraq and Syria where more than 2500 traumatized women, children, and men receive specialist trauma and health care every year. Our Programs We promote the physical rehabilitation, mental well-being and social reintegration of survivors of human rights violations, and their family members, through fve programs (• page 7). 17/18

Jiyan Foundation Annual for Human Rights Report Contents Welcome.

Introduction 1 Welcome Dear friends and supporters, 2 Interview • Two years in conversation

4 Timeline 2017 – 2018 The years 2017 and 2018 have been challenging, destroyed by years of conflict. But psychotherapy and often painful, for the people of Iraq. This pe- is becoming more established, and its necessity is Programs riod was marked by the war against ISIS, but also acknowledged by more organizations and funders. by the resilience of a population trying to rebuild This has allowed us to continue and expand our 4 Case Study • Therapy helped me ﬁnd the things that give me strength their lives. ISIS caused a lot of suffering for mil- capacity building program (• pages 20–23). lions of people, and the stories told to us by survi- 6 Our Programs vors were among the saddest we have faced since We were also honored to be awarded the Ham- the beginning of our work. burg Initiative for Human Rights Prize in 2018. 8 Trauma and Health • Mental health services for ISIS survivors from Mosul It’s given to outstanding projects, initiatives or or- The violence and upheaval of these years have ganizations that contribute to the observance of 10 • Supporting female survivors of sexualized violence shown, yet again, how important our mission is. human rights. We are happy and proud that the We were able to offer legal, medical and mental importance of promoting human rights in Iraq is 12 • Therapy for children and young people health care to more than 36,000 women, men and being recognized through the award. children. We expanded our services to twelve ref- 14 Rights and Justice • Access to justice through legal aid ugee and displaced people’s camps, and opened Since the defeat of ISIS, people in Iraq have faced two new centers, in Alqosh and Mosul (• pages new challenges. How can justice be achieved? 16 • A path to transitional justice in Iraq 8–15). In addition to providing urgently required How can survivors move on from the violence of psychotherapy, we gave people hope. "The day I the past and start talking about the future? The 8 Democracy and Civil Society • Encouraging peaceful dialogue saw the door of your center open, it gave me the Jiyan Foundation started new programs to help feeling of safety and comfort," said one of our cli- address some of these challenges (• pages 16–19). 10 Capacity Building • "Traumatized people will not get better on their own" ents in Kirkuk. Our work would not be possible without the sup- 12 • How clinical supervision improves the quality of mental health care We are happy that awareness for mental health port, commitment and energy of our partners and services is slowly growing in Iraq. Much more donors. Thank you – we look forward to continu- 10 Monitoring and Research • Researching and monitoring impact needs to be done to establish an adequate health ing with you on this path towards a better future system in the region and re-build infrastructure for Iraq. Spotlight 24 Healing Garden • Healing spaces for distressed communities Salah Ahmad Chairman 26 Syria • Mental health care and capacity-building in Syria Organization

30 Statistics

32 Team

36 Offices

37 Our Ethics

38 Partners and Supporters

40 Donations • How you can help

Welcome | 1 More than 175,000 people were displaced within a attention might go with them, when there is still so few days. Our centers in Sulaymaniyah and Cham- much to do. chamal coordinated with other NGOs. With emer- Many young people have been radicalized un- gency funding from MISEREOR, we were able to der ISIS. People from diferent communities don’t distribute baby diapers, milk and water to families trust each other, and some have become more sepa- who had to fee and leave everything behind. rated. In Kirkuk, the violence between the Iraqi and Kurdish authorities has reignited old conficts. What effect did all this political upheaval have on the Jiyan Foundation? How will the Jiyan Foundation address these challenges in the coming years? Shareif Ali: We had to keep adapting to new cir- cumstances. Because of the need for medical Shareif Ali: We will keep investing in capacity build- and psychological care in and around Mosul ing. When psychotherapists complete our training and Alqosh, we started working outside Kurdis- programs and start working across the country, we tan-Iraq for the frst time. And in Kirkuk, the po- will contribute towards improving mental health litical context changed completely when the city care in the region (• pages 20–23). fell under Iraqi control. Yousif Salih: And of course we will continue to help Yousif Salih: Overall, 2017 and 2018 were years of our clients come to terms with their past experienc- opening up to the Iraqi government, and develop- es by ofering medical and psychological support. ing a working relationship with its health ministry. Te bureaucratic process was ofen difcult, Friederike Regel: Our clients also have a huge need Two Years but in retrospect, we gained valuable experience. to look to the future. To help with this, we start- Te Jiyan Foundation helped more than 36,000 survivors of ed two new programs: one to promote transitional in Conversation Friederike Regel: Meanwhile, it was a challenge to justice, and another to encourage peaceful dialogue human rights violations in the last two years. Here, Yousif Salih meet the increasing demand for our services. In (• pages 16–19). For example, we bring together (lef) and Shareif Ali (right), managers of our centers in Kirkuk 2017, we had long waiting lists. We hired new staf, people from diferent religious and ethnic back- and Sulaymaniyah, and Friederike Regel, director of operations and since then, our team has grown by 25%. grounds. Tey talk about their experiences, and, in Berlin, discuss the political developments that shaped our over time, they see that they are not so diferent How did you manage this growth? from each other. work in 2017 and 2018. Tey look at the challenges ahead, and We will expand this work in the future to pro- talk about the Jiyan Foundation’s plans for the future. Friederike Regel: It quickly became obvious that, mote democratic values, and involve young people in order to maintain the quality of our work, we more. As an NGO with staf from diverse back- needed more structure and an organizational grounds, we are in a good position to do this. And 2017 was a year of intense ﬁghting against How did you assist people? development process. From 2018, we introduced bringing people together to fnd ways to live in ISIS. In July, the city of Mosul was declared new levels of leadership, and restructured our pro- peace gives them a lot of hope. to be liberated. What did this mean for the Shareif Ali: We quickly started ofering medical grams to refect our evolving services (• page 7). people? and psychological support. We opened a new We also developed new policies on safeguard- treatment center in Alqosh, in the Nineveh Plains, ing clients, whistle blowing, and risk management. Yousif Salih: When the extremists were pushed out in July 2017. Tis increases the trust and safety for our clients of the cities, it became obvious just how much the In Mosul, it was more difcult. Te situation and staf, which is obviously very important for population had sufered. Most relief organizations there remained war-like afer the liberation, so our sensitive work. in Iraq had to stop working during the rule of ISIS, safety was an issue. And the ofcial regulations so people had been lef alone with virtually no were very restrictive. We started looking for a What challenges do you see ahead? support. space to open a treatment center in 2017, but wer- Our team saw this frsthand when we went to en’t able to ofer medical and psychological care Shareif Ali: Many people displaced by ISIS and oth- Mosul and the Nineveh plains. Because our centers until late 2018. er violence still cannot go home. So far, the Kurdish in nearby Dohuk and Erbil had remained open, we and Iraqi authorities are not doing enough to re- were among the frst to go to these liberated areas. Meanwhile, in October 2017, armed con- build homes, schools and hospitals. Tey need to We were shocked to see the destruction, and how ﬂict erupted in Kirkuk when the Iraqi invest much more to enable a peaceful future. many people needed support, reaching from basic military reclaimed the city following a housing and access to electricity, food and water referendum for Kurdish independence. Yousif Salih: NGOs can also contribute a lot. Now to infrastructure like schools and streets, and of How do you remember this period? that ISIS has been defeated, some organizations are course any kind of health care. withdrawing. We are concerned that international Yousif Salih: It was a painful and difcult time.

2 | Introduction Interview | 3 November Timeline 2017 – 2018 We receive an award from the Hamburg Initiative for Human December Rights in recognition of our work. Iraqi prime minister Abadi ofﬁcially 2017 declares victory over ISIS in Iraq. March January An international alliance of 59 countries ﬁghts to liberate Iraq from ISIS. We host an exhibition in Halabja to mark 30 years since the chemical 2018 Between 2017 and 2018 we support attacks on the city. over 17,000 displaced persons. May

March Parliamentary elections in Iraq are won by Shia cleric We begin offering legal aid Muqtada as-Sadr. June to vulnerable persons. Start of our training programs for child therapists and clinical June supervisors.

We open a center in the Nineveh plains as a response to the displacement of people July ﬂeeing ISIS and the ﬁghting around Mosul. First round of training to help counselors in North Syria support their communities. July

Mosul is liberated from ISIS control by coalition forces. August August

Dialogue program begins with a public Staff in Chamchamal receive training in panel of religious leaders in Erbil. animal-assisted interventions, soon to be implemented in our healing garden.

September

More than 90% vote in favor of October independence in a referendum in the Kurdish region. Iraqi parliament elects Kurdish politician Barham Salih as president. October Our Mosul Center opens, providing support We are forced to temporarily close our center for traumatized inhabitants of the liberated in Kirkuk due to ﬁghting in the city. Emergency but heavily damaged city. aid is distributed to those displaced by ﬁghting in Kirkuk and the surrounding area. The healing garden opens in Chamchamal.

4 | Introduction Timeline | 5 Therapy Helped Our Programs

Me Find the Things By means of fve programs, we promote the physical rehabilitation, psychological well-being and social reintegration That Give Me of survivors of human rights violations and their family Strength "When I frst came to the Jiyan Foundation, members. Tese programs are based on the idea that the my life didn't have any meaning," rehabilitation of individuals, families, and communities is a recalls Mahmood Jalal Barzo. crucial step towards building a peaceful civil society.

Mahmood is a 50-year-old father of two sons. In Program for Trauma Care and Health the 1980s, when he was an adolescent, Mahmood was arrested, imprisoned and tortured by soldiers Exposure to violence and human rights violations can lead to a variety of physi- of the Ba'ath regime. "At night they would wake cal, psychological and social problems. We support survivors in Iraq and Syria by me by hitting their keys on the bars of the cell," re- means of medical support, psychological treatment and specialized trauma care, as calls Mahmood. "Ten I knew they were coming well as social work. to take me to the torture room."

"When he frst came to us, Mahmood would still Program for Rights and Justice panic every time he heard keys jingling," says Na- baz Ahmed, psychotherapist at the Jiyan Founda- Te rule of law and respect for human rights form the foundation of democratic so- tion in Sulaymaniyah. "He sufered nightmares, cieties and are the blueprint for peaceful coexistence and prosperity. We ofer legal he was unable to sleep and he felt angry a lot of assistance, litigation, collaboration with international human rights bodies, and the time, especially towards his elder son. He was advocacy for the rights of vulnerable groups. We also monitor closed institutions not able to work and was worried about money." and disseminate human rights standards.

Mahmood then started attending weekly therapy at the Jiyan Foundation. At frst he found it hard Program for Democracy and Civil Society to talk about himself and his feelings. He had low self confdence and he struggled to concentrate. In order to progress towards a pluralistic civil society and to strengthen democracy in Iraq, we ofer human rights education in schools. We also support networks of "I encouraged Mahmood to talk about his feelings, young activists and are involved in dialogue activities that bring together members helping him see that his behavior was a normal re- of diferent ethnic and religious groups. action to traumatic experiences," says Mr. Ahmed. "We also examined his anger towards his son, ana- lyzing the diferent aspects of it. We included his Capacity Building son in some of these sessions, which helped the two understand each other better." By investing in staf training and ofering seminars for external professionals, we can better respond to the complex needs of the people we support. We have built "I am much better now," says Mahmood with a up specialized expertise in mental health and psychotherapy. Our counselors and smile. "I understand my feelings more and I know therapists have trained in various methods of clinical intervention, trauma therapy, what I need to get better. Terapy helped me and supervision. fnd the things that give me a sense of pride and strength, such as my work as a barber or walking and hunting in the mountains." Monitoring and Research

Monitoring and evaluating our activities helps us to measure their impact, maintain high quality standards and continuously improve what we do. Together with partner institutions, we research the efectiveness of psychosocial support in confict areas.

6 | Case Study Our Programs | 7 Therapy session in Hasansham camp.

low and irritable, and she cried a lot," And although the security situation has says Hassan Ibrahim, a psychotherapist stabilized slightly, various militias still at the Jiyan Foundation. "She showed operate in the city." symptoms of post-traumatic stress, and With support from the German was haunted by her terrible ordeal in Foreign Ofce, the Jiyan Foundation nightmares and fashbacks." began ofering mental health services in Ibrahim worked with Shirin over Mosul in late 2018. In the frst month, several months, sometimes seeing her only a handful of people came. "Mental for two sessions a week because her health is new to them. Tey don't know Mental Health symptoms were so severe. "We start- what it is, or hold prejudiced views ed with relaxation exercises to reduce about it," says Omer Taha. But afer the Services for ISIS her irritability and to build trust," says team started promoting its services in In 2017, Iraqi government forces regained control of Mosul from Ibrahim. "I then used Eye Movement the city and explaining how the treat- ISIS. Afer years of occupation and confict, large parts of the Desensitization and Reprocessing ment works, the number of people seek- Survivors from city have been destroyed and the population is traumatized. therapy (EMDR) to help process her ing help quadrupled. Around half a million people were forced to fee. Many sought trauma." "We ofer therapy and medical care, Mosul Throughout her therapy, Shirin and refer to specialists as needed," says shelter in Kurdistan, where the Jiyan Foundation has provided lived in fear of returning to Mosul. Mr Taha. "We cover all the costs, in- medical and psychotherapy services. "She said she never wants to live there cluding medicine and transportation. again," says Ibrahim. "She is afraid that People in Mosul are very poor now, DISPLACED PEOPLE NEED ONGOING the terrorists and her nightmares will and they could not aford the treatment SUPPORT Living in fear and without Like Shirin, all the residents of Hasan- return." Many residents of Hasansham otherwise." prospects sham are survivors of ISIS terror. Most share this fear. Having lost everything, Te Jiyan Foundation team in Mo- In July 2018, the Jiyan Foundation of the people here have lost loved ones, they are anxious about the prospect of sul will reach out to those returning had to stop working in Hasansham, Te tents at Hasansham camp stand in and many were injured or abused. All rebuilding their lives. from Hasansham and other camps. mainly because of difﬁculties in long rows. Clothes hang out to dry behave had to leave their homes. In the For people like Shirin, this could be a obtaining the necessary permits. tween them. Tis is where 22-year-old camp, they have shelter but they lack Better health for a better future lifeline. "Shirin is a lot better now," says The authorities gradually began Shirin* lives with her parents and six jobs and long-term prospects. Ibrahim. "But she needs more therapy. reducing support for the camp, as they wanted its residents to siblings. Since November 2016, a Jiyan Founda- "Parts of the city were almost com- Her condition is severe, and she will return to the Mosul area. This was Shirin's family came to Hasansham tion team of medical doctors and psycho- pletely destroyed in the confict," says need a long time to heal." very difﬁcult for the people in the in 2016. Tey had tried to fee before, therapists has attended to people's physi- Omer Taha, who manages the newly camp. They have suffered severe but ISIS fghters abducted Shirin, held cal and mental health needs in the camp. opened Jiyan Foundation center in Mo- trauma and many of them have no her captive and sexually abused her. Tey have treated over 4700 patients. sul. "Houses and streets were bombed. home to return to, and no future When she was fnally freed, the family One of them was Shirin. "When she Tere is only one hospital, as most * Te names have been changed prospects. fed to Kurdistan. frst came to us, she was feeling very medical infrastructure was destroyed. to ensure anonymity.

8 | Programs Trauma Care and Health | 9 round-the-clock support there. Tey Most patients stay for four weeks, but can leave their daily chores and stress this can be extended to two or three behind and focus on getting better. months. Afer they leave, many women Tey are looked afer by an all-female continue therapy – either at a Jiyan team of medical doctors, psychothera- Foundation center or with our mobile pists, physiotherapists and nurses. All teams, who ofer mental health services services are free of charge, thanks to in camps for those who fed from ISIS. funding from MISEREOR. "When they arrive at the clinic, the Most women at the clinic have women look sad and are dressed in physical health issues related to their black. But when they leave they are like abuse; these include localized pains, diferent people: Tey are happy and gynecological problems, and chronic hopeful," says Ms. Omar. bladder infections. Many cry a lot when they frst come, others have concen- In 2017 and 2018, we treated tration problems and keep forgetting 384 women and children at our simple things. Most have difculty trauma clinic for women in Sulay- sleeping and sufer from fashbacks and maniyah province. Throughout nightmares. Kurdistan-Iraq, our teams have provided medical and psycho- Combining individual and logical care to more than 21,500 group therapy women and young girls.

To help the women recover from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, our team ofers individual * Te names have been changed and group therapy. Individual thera- to ensure anonymity. py helps staf understand each wom- Supporting an. In groups, all women participate in a structured stabilization program. Female Survivors "Being around other women decreases their anxiety," says Ms. Omar. "And it makes it easier for them to be apart from of Sexualized Te Jiyan Foundation ofers gender-specifc medical and their family and home." psychological care to women and girls at its centers and by Partners and other family members HOW WE HELPED LEILA* Violence are welcome to come for visits and are means of mobile teams. Since 2015 we have also run a trauma When Leila first came to the Jiyan Foundation in April 2018, she was very ofen included in the therapeutic pro- distressed. clinic for those who have returned from ISIS captivity. cess. If the women have children they "She kept touching her head and complaining about a headache," says Aveen can bring them along to stay with them. Aziz, psychotherapist at the women's clinic. "She avoided eye contact and If needed, the girls and boys also receive she had very negative thoughts. ‘I will never get better’, she said." Te sewing machines are whirring. says Lavan Omar, a psychotherapist at therapeutic support. Our staf ofer art, Seven women sit in a classroom, each the clinic. "Tis is an important part of play, and group therapy for them. Leila had been caught by ISIS fighters and held as a sex slave for months. feeding a piece of brightly colored fab- surviving traumatic experiences, and After her escape, she sought help from the Jiyan Foundation because she had ric through a sewing machine. Teir regaining control of their lives." Helping women help themselves nightmares and flashbacks. teacher walks between the rows of ma- Leila spent three months at our clinic. She joined the stabilization and art chines, giving instructions and encour- Outpatient support is not An average day for women being treat- therapy group, and had individual therapy. She also took sports, relaxation agement to the women. enough ed in the clinic also includes activities and sewing classes. Tey are patients at the Jiyan Foun- such as yoga and gardening, as well During her time at the clinic, Leila's condition stabilized and this helped her dation trauma clinic for women in For women who have experienced se- as relaxation classes. "We support the take charge of her healing. After she left, Leila returned to the camp where Sulaymaniyah province. Twice a week vere sexualized violence such as sys- women in learning to help themselves, she lives in and now attends weekly psychotherapy at our center in Duhok. they attend a two-hour sewing class tematic rape and enslavement by ISIS by teaching them techniques to regu- Leila is learning to overcome her negative thoughts. She is determined to with a local tailor. "Te vocational class- fghters, outpatient psychosocial sup- late their stress and cope with feelings take control of her life. She sews and sells clothes to earn money, and she es help our clients develop prospects for port for an hour or two a week is not of shame," says Ms. Omar. "And in the also works as a hairdresser. "Leila is a lot better now," says Ms. Aziz. "She is the future. Tey can use new skills to enough. Tis is why the Jiyan Founda- vocational classes we motivate them to in the final stages of her therapy." earn money when they leave the clinic," tion set up the clinic: Women receive learn new skills."

10 | Programs Trauma Care and Health | 11 we encourage them to examine and refect on their own behavior. What are the typical problems faced by children in Kirkuk?

Children come to us with a wide range of issues and problems. In our center in Kirkuk we support local families, and we also visit the nearby Laylan camp for displaced people and ofer mental health care there. Te families in the camp have fed from ISIS and have been living in tents for years, but they can't go back to their cities and villages because their homes have been destroyed. It isn't safe for them yet. Many children in the camp sufer from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and adjust- ment disorder. Local families have problems too. Tere is tension between the diferent ethnic and religious groups, which has increased since Iraqi government forces took over Kirkuk in October 2017. Te situation causes stress for families. When parents are stressed and anxious, they can't look afer their children well or give them the love and support they need. Many boys and girls we see in our center Therapy for sufer from hyperactivity, anxiety, and depression. Children and How does therapy help children? All Jiyan Foundation centers are open to children and young We use diferent therapeutic approaches which are Young People people, and a quarter of those we support are under 18. Shara all helpful. Eye movement desensitization and re- Ghafoor, a psychotherapist at the Jiyan Foundation in Kirkuk, processing (EMDR) is a method that works well HOW WE HELPED EIGHT-YEAR-OLD SHAKHOWAN* with children, helping them to process traumatic explains how therapy for children works and how it helps young "I first met Shakhowan when his mother brought him to us in experiences. As I mentioned, play and art therapy Laylan camp,” says psychotherapist Shara Ghafoor. patients and their families. allow us to understand the children, giving them "Shakhowan had fled from Hawija with his family. He had seen an outlet for their feelings. We also use relaxation people killed by ISIS fighters. As a result, he slept badly and had exercises to help them become calmer. We can't nightmares. He was angry and aggressive with his mother, and he How is psychotherapy for children differ- we might just observe them and give them time change people's living situation, but therapy helps avoided contact with other children. ent from therapy for adults? to develop trust in us. It's important that they feel children and their families cope and feel better. safe. When I talk to them, I always ask simple and I initially saw him once a week. He was often tired, so I showed One big diference is that young children can't open questions. Tis gives them space to open up, In 2017 and 2018, we provided psycholog- him breathing exercises that helped him rest and relax. express their sufering in words: they show us and they don't feel pressured or judged. We also ical care to more than 1,500 children and We also involved his parents in family therapy. Life in the camp how they feel through their behavior. So we need use art therapy and let children paint and draw. young people throughout Iraq. was hard for them: They had no work or money. The boy’s father to observe children to see how they behave, and Tis shows us how they are feeling, and some- used to take out his anger on his mother and beat her. that can tell us how they are feeling. Children who times they will start talking as a result. It's always * Te names have been changed When Shakhowan's parents understood how the violence at home are struggling can become quiet and withdrawn, up to the child to decide if he or she wants to talk to ensure anonymity. affected their son, they began changing their behavior. or they might avoid contact with other children. or not. I also used play and art therapy with Shakhowan, and EMDR to Others can't control their aggression and shout or help him process his violent memories. hit other children. Do you involve the parents? Shara Ghafoor has been working with the Jiyan Foundation since 2016. She is trained in Shakhowan enjoyed the sessions. 'I love coming to see you every How does therapy for children work? Yes, it's essential to involve the parents. It helps us EMDR and currently participates in a training week', he once told me. understand the child's past experiences and family program for child and adolescent psychiatry He is calmer now. He plays with other children. He still comes to We have a play room with toys and musical instru- environment. We also explain to the parents how and psychotherapy. see us once a month, but he is already much better." ments. We let the girls and boys play, and initially therapy works, and what their children need. And

12 | Programs Trauma Care and Health | 13 • On Wednesdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., • 1.30 p.m. My working day at the Jiyan Seminar for police officers in Sulaymaniyah. I visit a Syrian refugee camp to provide Foundation ends, but I ofen stay late. one-to-one legal counseling. I also run I’m passionate about what I do. seminars for refugees to inform them of • 2 p.m. I go to a shared ofce to con- their rights in Iraq. I make these visits tinue working. I want to start a master’s with our psychotherapists. We cross-re- degree in December to help me become fer clients. I can help people legally, a better lawyer. but they need to talk to someone about • 7 p.m. I head home to my family - my what they are feeling. mum, dad and three siblings. Some- • 11 a.m. or 12 noon. Tere are usually times I go out with friends or read up Access to one or two people waiting for me at our on cases. center. We ofer free and anonymous • 1 a.m. Before bed I like to read. I love Justice Through legal counseling to anybody who asks psychological books. to speak to a lawyer. Some people are afraid and feel intimidated. * Te names have been changed to ensure anonymity. Legal Aid Our free legal counseling helps vulnerable people in North Iraq get fair trials and increased access to protection and justice. A HOW NOOR HELPED SARA* team of eight legal counselors supported more than 1000 persons "Sara's father died when she was 12, so she went to live with her uncle, like Sara* who do not have the fnancial means to hire a lawyer. aunt and cousins. Almost as soon as she moved in with him, her uncle threatened, emotionally abused, and sexually harassed her. Every day she felt afraid and unsafe. A day in the life of our legal • 8.30 a.m. I go to court. A large part of At 24, Sara fell in love with Mahmood. He asked her uncle for permission to adviser my work involves helping women get the marry Sara, but he refused. Instead, he threatened to kill his niece. rights they are entitled to when they di- Sara fled, made a legal complaint against her uncle and went to live in a Noor Muhsin, 29, has worked as a le- vorce their husbands. In some cases they shelter for women fleeing violence. gal adviser for the Jiyan Foundation are denied contact with their children, in Sulaymaniyah for two years. and it touches my heart when I can help I met Sara on one of my regular visits to the shelter. ‘I am desperate and reunite a woman with her child. afraid,’ she told me. I wanted to listen to her and help her. • At 7 a.m., I wake up, get dressed and • Once a week, on Tuesdays, I ofer legal Sara needed a residence card to live in Sulaymaniyah because she is not have breakfast. counseling to female prisoners. Some of Kurdish. She also needs proof from the Baghdad government that she hasn’t • 8 a.m. I walk to the Jiyan Founda- them have killed their husbands afer a been married before. Then she can marry the man she loves. tion center and read client court notes. long history of domestic violence. Tey I am working with the authorities to get Sara a residence card and settle her I wanted to be a lawyer to help people. face long prison sentences. dispute so that she can live in peace. When I was a child, I saw bad things • On Tursday mornings I provide legal Sara tells me: ‘I feel stronger and hopeful now. I am very grateful that the happening and wanted to know more advice to women who fed violent rela- Jiyan Foundation has helped and supported me.’" about human rights. tionships at a local shelter.

14 | Programs Rights and Justice | 15 if they don’t feel safe, which is why guarantees of non-recurrence are so important. Transitional justice involves survivors and includes mechanisms like truth commissions, reparation programs, and restoring civil and political rights. Tis should provide survivors with more stability and support them in achieving their ambitions. What justice has there been so far in Iraq?

Iraqi law doesn’t recognize crimes against hu- manity or genocide and so far there has been no attempt to establish a tribunal, either national or international. Nationally, some criminal trials are taking Public information event on the right to reparations for survivors of the Halabja place, but these are based on anti-terrorism laws chemical attacks. that resemble revenge rather than justice. Te law which provides compensation for victims of ter- Why do we need a strong civil society for rorist acts is not being put into practice, especially transitional justice to work? for women. Internationally, the United Nations entity active in Iraq, UNITAD, is only gathering To help people be more aware of their rights and evidence on crimes committed by ISIS. to demand reparations for victims. A coalition will put reparative justice for human rights vio- Why did the Jiyan Foundation start work- lations in Iraq on the national and international ing on transitional justice in Iraq? agenda.

Our physical and mental health assistance is tre- What’s the next step for setting up the mendously important in stabilizing the lives of coalition? survivors of human rights abuses in Iraq. But A Path to treating these problems alone will not tackle the We hope to set up the coalition by the end of 2019 disease itself. Tere have been several attempts to and defne its activities. Ten we’ll work for it to Transitional establish a reconciliation program in Iraq, but so be acknowledged by the Iraqi government. Te Jiyan Foundation is setting up a coalition of civil society far none have worked – mainly because they em- organizations in Iraq. Te aim is to help victims of recent ploy a top-down approach. Justice in Iraq human rights violations demand justice and some form of What has been achieved in the last year? compensation for their ordeals. Bojan Gavrilovic, head of the Program for Rights and Justice at the Jiyan Foundation, We trained lawyers in Iraq on transitional justice discusses our approach and achievements so far. and collected their feedback on what they think might work. Tis helped us put together a position paper. It identifed a gap between the pressing need Can you explain what transitional justice is? bring perpetrators to justice so that we can move for human rights compliant criminal proceedings on, but not forget. So that in 100 years there will and reparation programs, and the inadequate legal It means coming to terms with past human rights be no more war. It’s about breaking the cycle of framework and mechanisms within Iraq that are HOW INTERNATIONAL LAW FAILS SURVIVORS' RIGHT TO REPARATION abuses afer the end of a dictatorial regime or civil violence and making a diferent future possible. expected to meet this need. United Nations Human Rights Law states that victims of mass war by means of mechanisms like criminal tribu- We have now secured initial funding to set atrocities have a national right to reparation. But it is unclear how nals and reparation programs. Can transitional justice help victims to up a Coalition for Just Reparations. This will they can access it as there is no international mechanism for Reparation is making good the harm done heal? be a network of organizations representing dif- individuals to enforce these rights. through compensation, restitution, rehabilita- ferent communities in Iraq, including minori- This leads to a commitment gap. When non-state actors commit tion and guarantees of non-recurrence. Wars are Research shows that when perpetrators are pun- ty ones. All of them have suffered at the hands violence, the government of the affected country can refuse any always about something from the past, a trauma ished and victims are involved, it helps the healing of ISIS and other armed groups and need to responsibility. Meanwhile, the international community refers the that isn’t spoken about. Te idea of transitional process. Support measures such as medical and come together to demand reparations from the victims to their respective government for reparation claims. justice is to talk about human rights abuses and psychological care are crucial, but nobody can heal government.

16 | Programs Rights and Justice | 17 together is unusual. Te Jiyan Founda- says Friederike Regel, project coordina- Left: As part of its dialogue program, the Jiyan tion has made this happen as part of its tor at the Jiyan Foundation. Foundation launched a social media campaign on the values shared by members of different dialogue program, which was launched However, experience shows that communities in Iraq. in 2017. Te program facilitates open reconciliation programs need to in- discussions which are aimed at working volve people at all levels of society. For through conficts and developing under- this reason, the Jiyan Foundation con- standing and solidarity. ducted 26 dialogue groups in schools, Decades of violence and oppression community centers, displaced people's have caused tensions between the difer- camps, and government ofces in 2017 ent ethnic and religious groups. Tese and 2018. tensions increased as a result of ISIS In the city of Alqosh in the Ninev- rule, which banned all religions except eh Plains, for instance, 31 young Chris- their own radical interpretation of Islam. tians and Yazidis came together in ISIS brutally abused and ofen killed fol- September 2018 for an art workshop to lowers of other faiths, or forced them to paint a 'tree of hope'. Te tree symboliz- convert under threat of violence. es their hope that, despite violence and Members of the Yazidi and Chris- hardship, they can build a better future. tian communities were particularly In December 2018 at a second event in targeted by ISIS. Since 2014, thou- the same city, Yazidis, Christians and sands have lef the country, resentful Muslims met with displaced people at being forced from their ancient from various religions. Tey shared sto- homelands, and fearful that their cul- ries and pictures and got to know each ture might not survive. Of those who other's beliefs and traditions better. stayed, millions sought safety in Kurd- Program participants have provid- istan-Iraq. Tis caused new tensions, ed very positive feedback. "Te work- as host communities and displaced shops and dialogue groups helped peo- people were forced to live together in ple see that despite their diferences, a small territory while competing for they have many values and experiences limited resources. in common," says Delman. Encouraging Most participants agreed that the Dialogue as a step towards country cannot be rebuilt without Peaceful reconciliation young people from diferent groups working together. Tis is why the Jiyan Te Jiyan Foundation's dialogue program brings together people Te Jiyan Foundation's program is a step Foundation is setting up a youth net- Dialogue from diferent communities to rebuild understanding and trust. towards reconciliation. It encourages work. A pilot workshop for young activ- During open discussions and reciprocal visits to places of clergy members of various religions to ists held in December 2018 was well at- visit each other's places of worship. Tis tended, with young people determined Poster campaign promoting dialogue and worship they share similar experiences and voice their wish for has included a Zoroastrian temple in to help shape the future of Iraq. religious diversity. a more peaceful future. Sulaymaniyah, a mosque in Erbil, the center of Yazidi faith in Lalish, as well as a Yazidi temple, a Christian church "We have gathered here because we being about the future of their war-torn and a Muslim mosque in Duhok. lieve in living side by side in peace," says country: How can Iraq be rebuilt afer "Before the visit to Altun Mosque in Hussein Qasim Hadad. He is a leader of years of violence? And how can the dif- Erbil," recalls Delman Kareem from the the Bahá’í community, a religious mi- ferent groups living in the country work Jiyan Foundation, "the imam asked re- nority in Iraq, and is speaking at a panel together to bring peace? ligious leaders to bring pictures of their discussion in the Mar Yousif Church in holy symbols. He displayed these in the Sulaymaniyah. The consequences of decades mosque to show peaceful coexistence Te panel is discussing the rela- of violence and oppression between religions." tionship between diferent groups in People in the region ofen look up to The dialogue and reconciliation program involved 40 dialogue groups, public Kurdistan-Iraq. Hussein sits with two Iraq has always had a very ethnical- their religious leaders. "When the lead- panel discussions and visits to holy sites. These reached over 800 people Christian priests, a Muslim imam, two ly and religiously diverse population, ers come together in their holy sites, it from different ethnic and religious backgrounds, displaced groups and host representatives of Zoroastrianism and a however, members of diferent ethnic sends a strong message of peace, and communities, in six provinces of Iraq. leader of the Kaka’i faith. Tey are talk- and religious groups sitting and talking inspires people to follow their example,"

18 | Programs Democracy and Civil Society | 19 In 2017 – 2018, we

π provided 28 different trainings. π saw 55 graduates complete our courses in EMDR, trauma therapy and psychotraumatology. π launched new courses in child and adolescent psychotherapy and psychiatry, and in supervision. π offered about 200 seminars led by trained Jiyan staff for more than 4,000 external professionals in Iraq.

local professionals. Tis is much more efcient in ing approach. But it was a very distressing case the long term than bringing in experts from out- that showed how difcult it can be to be exposed side the country. Local psychologists from within a to the patient's trauma. community understand the language, the dynamics Te staf themselves are also part of the trau- and the nuances of their communities much bet- matized population. Tey have had difcult ex- ter. For this reason, the Jiyan Foundation prefers periences too. Training at the Jiyan Foundation to empower local people to work with their own includes self-care and self-awareness to give staf populations. the opportunity to refect on these experiences in their role as therapists. "Traumatized What type of training does the Jiyan Foun- dation offer? How do you think training will develop in People Will Not the future? Te focus is on specialist trauma interventions. One example of this is Eye Movement Desensitiza- Te conficts in the region are ongoing. Te de- Get Better on tion and Reprocessing (EMDR), one of the treat- mand for psychological services will remain very Studies suggest that more than half the population of Iraq has ments of choice for post-traumatic stress disorder. high, especially among people from Mosul and Their Own" experienced psychological trauma – yet there are far too few Rather than requiring patients to talk about their those who have fed from Syria. Te Jiyan Founda- psychiatrists, psychotherapists and counselors in the country. trauma, EMDR exposes them to stimuli like eye tion will train more qualifed staf to help address Dr Derek Farrell, trainer and member of the Jiyan Foundation movement and hand tapping while they think of those needs. Tis "train the trainers" approach it. Tis jumpstarts the brain into processing the will contribute to developing mental health care advisory board, explains what this means for the people and why experience. EMDR has been used for 30 years, so in the region. it's important to train local professionals. there is plenty of evidence to support its efectiveness, and it is applicable across countries and cul- tures. Te Jiyan Foundation has trained two class- Dr Farrell, at present there is no adequate sufering on other people, and so on. Traumatized es of therapists in the technique. mental health system in Iraq. What are the individuals will also become physically sick if they consequences for people, many of whom are lef untreated. We are already seeing an in- You've mentioned the high level of trauma have experienced violence and trauma, if crease in cardiac diseases, some forms of cancer, among the population. Do trainees pre- they cannot have treatment? cardiovascular problems and strokes, liver and pare for this in their training? kidney problems and diabetes. Studies from several countries suggest that trau- It's true that as a therapist working in Iraq you matized populations will not get better on their How does the Jiyan Foundation contrib- assist highly vulnerable and distressed individu- Dr Derek Farrell is a senior lecturer in own. Tey will remain traumatized, and this will ute to developing the Iraqi mental health als. For instance, I remember one young therapist psychology at the University of Worcester in cause problems such as addiction and violence. It system? who was working with a Yazidi woman afer she the UK and an expert in EMDR. He has trained can also lead to urges for revenge and retribution. had witnessed her sister dying in an honor kill- Jiyan staff, in cooperation with Terre des Leaving people untreated could lead to a cycle of In addition to ofering treatment, the Jiyan Foun- ing. He was doing excellent work with her, em- Hommes and Trauma Aid, since 2015. violence, where people who have been hurt infict dation builds capacity in the region by training ploying a compassionate, validating, and nurtur-

20 | Programs Capacity Building | 21 Improving the quality of Peter Klentzan is one of the external clinical work supervisors working with the Jiyan Foundation. The experienced trauma In 2017 and 2018, the Jiyan Foundation therapist from Bavaria in Germany set up an internal supervision system with has mainly focused on supporting the help of an experienced trainer from the work of the women’s clinic in the US-based Center for Victims of Tor- Chamchamal. ture. As a result, every Jiyan center now "Supporting the staf in this way is has an internal supervisor like Chenar especially important, as all the patients Ahmed. Like him, they regularly meet they work with are severely trauma- with colleagues on a one-to-one basis. tized," says Peter. "In the clinic, there Terapists beneft from supervision is a particular need for supervision How Supervision more if they can talk in confdence. But due to the trauma experienced by the confdential peer support has its lim- women there and resulting demands Improves the its when your supervisor is also a col- on the staf." league. Te staf might struggle to share In 2018, the Jiyan Foundation certain issues with someone they work launched a two-year course in supervi- Quality of Mental with every day. In such cases, external sion for 20 of its staf. As part of their Two therapists are sitting face to face. Tey both work at the supervisors are clearly advantageous. training, participants are starting to su- Health Care Jiyan Foundation's center in Kirkuk. Every week they get together Tey can observe team dynamics from pervise colleagues from other centers, for one hour in a quiet room. On the right is Chenar Ahmed, a distance, be more impartial advocates increasing their expertise with every a psychotherapist and supervisor. He listens to his colleague for the staf's well-being, and are able to hour of practical experience. When look at broader issues within the organ- they graduate, they will be the frst carefully, reviews cases with her and discusses any challenges ization that might have an impact on trained supervisors in Iraq, and can she might be facing with clients. the quality of clinical work. support individuals and groups from a range of backgrounds. Training local experts in "Clinical supervision is important and there problems at home that are causing clinical supervision necessary," says Chenar Ahmed. "It them stress? STAFF CARE IS MORE THAN SUPERVISION gives therapists another perspective on Any of these issues could afect the Due to a lack of qualifed experts in the Self-care and clinical supervision help prevent our staff from feeling too their client's condition and progress, relationship between the therapist and country, the Jiyan Foundation current- stressed. But the main responsibility for staff well-being lies with the organ- and allows them to evaluate their treat- client. Clinical supervision gives ther- ly relies on external supervisors from ization. Staff care includes reliable contracts, clear responsibilities, regular ment plan." apists the chance to address them and abroad. Tese are psychotherapists with working hours, holiday entitlements and opportunities for unpaid leave, In addition, supervision creates a improve the quality of their work. Tis extensive experience and training as su- ﬁnancial security, transparent structures, a friendly working environment, space where therapists can practice self- is important for the personal and pro- pervisors. Tey regularly join the teams and possibilities for professional development. Team members must feel they care. Tey can step out of their role as fessional development of mental health in each Jiyan Foundation Center by are valued and should know who to turn to if problems or challenges arise. a therapist, connect with their feelings workers and directly impacts on the means of digital video and audio com- Only then can an organization thrive, particularly in a mental health context. and assess their own situation. Is a par- well-being of their clients. "Because the munications. If funding allows, they fy While the Jiyan Foundation has always been committed to these standards, a ticular case afecting them? Does it trig- aim is to help the client," says Chenar in once or twice a year for a personal process of organizational development has formalized them since 2018. ger difcult memories or emotions? Are Ahmed. meeting.

22 | Programs Capacity Building | 23 Te study highlighted the need for bet- THREE WAYS WE’VE OVERCOME CHALLENGES TO MONITORING PSYCHOTHERAPY ter training and support for profession- PRACTICE IN IRAQ als and more resources to allow them to evaluate their practices. 1. We have translated the most frequently used global questionnaires given to psychotherapy clients in order to monitor their symptoms – such as the Getting the best psychological "Patient Health Questionnaire" from English to Kurdish and Arabic. care for displaced children 2. Instead of a numeric scale, the assessment forms employed by the Jiyan Foundation to identify mental distress use well-researched images to help In September 2018 we carried out re- those from lower educational backgrounds identify the severity of their search with Psychiatrists Without Bor- symptoms. ders to assess the needs of children in 3. We have adapted the sessions of Eye Movement Desensitization and two refugee camps in Syria. Te fami- Reprocessing (EMDR), a special trauma therapy technique we use. lies in these camps had fed from are- Therapists spend more time educating people about how the treatment as under ISIS control in Syria and Iraq. works as our research revealed that many people didn’t understand it. We wanted to know what psychological issues afect the children and what type of treatment they need. support to people afected by the war in It might seem obvious that children Syria. who have lived under ISIS control expe- Te study found a direct relationship rience severe trauma and need support. between the level of exposure to violence But we cannot say if they have a psycho- in Syria and poor mental health. Almost logical disorder unless we ask specifc, half of the 387 people from diferent standardized questions. areas of the country who responded to For our study, eight trained inter- an online survey displayed symptoms viewers talked to 71 children between of post-traumatic stress. Over a quarter the ages of 10 and 15. Tey found that (27%) displayed a low suicide risk. more than a third (36%) of the chil- Te research, published in the jour- dren showed symptoms of a major de- nal Transcultural Psychiatry, illustrates pression, and just under a third (31%) the enormous need for psychological Salah Ahmad, chairman of the Jiyan Foundation, displayed symptoms of post-traumatic support and trauma care for survivors speaks at a conference on psychotherapy Researching stress. of the war in Syria. practice in Kurdistan-Iraq and Jordan. Several international health organ- and Monitoring izations provide generalized psychosocial group support to children like these Scientifc and evidence-based psychotherapy practice is vital to help them cope, but children sufer- Impact to helping more people in Iraq recover from trauma. Below are ing from such severe psychological dis- outlined three key research studies the Jiyan Foundation has been orders need specialized, longer-term treatment. involved in. Te studies help us establish which support people Based on the results of the study, we need, and infuence the practices used to deliver it. are calling on donors and international aid organizations to provide better access to psychotherapy and other spe- Improving support for mental in Berlin, conducted a study to improve cialized mental health care in Syria. health professionals and expand unifed mental health and psychosocial support services for peo- Understanding psychological Te number of institutions providing ple in Jordan and Kurdistan-Iraq. distress in Syria mental health support to people in Iraq Researchers interviewed 31 men- and Jordan increased by 14% from 2013 tal health experts and 204 recipients Despite years of civil war, there was no to 2015. It was not clear how profes- of support, including Syrian refugees research into the psychological impact sionals were being selected and trained, and internally displaced people. Tey of violence on the general population of what support they provided and wheth- found that only half of the profession- Syria until 2016. er or not clients felt that it helped them. als received training lasting longer than Since then, the Jiyan Foundation Tis is why the Jiyan Foundation, in one week and most used unspecifc has carried out a study to help organ- partnership with the Charité Hospital techniques. izations plan and ofer psychological

24 | Programs Monitoring and Research | 25 Chamchamal who have sufered trau- the natural world. Tis can give people matic experiences. Tey have faced six hope and a renewed sense of purpose. decades of violence, persecution, and Indeed, Jala’s mother has seen a con- forced displacement. siderable improvement in her daughter Guided encounters with animals since she started to come to the healing are core to therapeutic work in the garden. "Her anxiety has lessened and healing garden. Supervised interac- she is always talking about the animals tion with an animal helps to connect and the garden," she says. "She can’t wait people to the environment and experi- to go back there." Healing Spaces ence emotional attachment, care-giving, and unconditional acceptance. * Te names have been changed for Distressed Importantly, building trust with an- to ensure anonymity. imals can help an individual develop HOW WE HELPED SIX-YEAR-OLD JALA* trust in people. Communities Te Jiyan Foundation community garden in Chamchamal is "Animal-assisted therapy can be a "When I first met Jala, she was having nightmares and was very fearful because of the trauma she had been through," says psychotherapist Aras Hewa Majeed. now open. Using an approach that includes guided contact with bridge between a therapist and a very traumatized client," says chairman "In the healing garden, I worked with Jala using a four-step animal-assisted process. animals, children like Jala* are able to start talking about the Salah Ahmad, who is supervising the The first step was to walk around the garden together to get acquainted with its trauma they have experienced. three therapists working in the healing animals. Then Jala was gradually introduced to Saif the cat. garden. "Patients become friends with the animal frst and start to feel safer At first, Jala was anxious and didn’t want to be close to the cat. I suggested she While six-year-old Jala* strokes Saif the terrifed of animals – especially cats. and stronger. Tis allows the therapist try to notice how Saif moved from a distance, and what he looked like. I asked if cat, she talks about the fear she has felt Since coming to the healing garden this to connect with the client when other she wanted to call him by his name or to know about his family. This helped Jala develop a friendship with the cat and she began to feel safe. recently. Other animals, including geese, has changed. "Before, I never wanted to techniques may not have helped. Afer chickens, donkeys and dogs, are nearby. be near cats. I was so afraid," says Jala. this stage of the process, they can start After that, sessions focused on Jala deciding how she wanted to be with Saif. Psychotherapist Aras Hewa Majeed is "Now I feel happy and wonderful to be to work on the trauma symptoms." This gave her a sense of her capacity to make decisions. We talked about only with Jala, listening, refecting back, and with Saif and the other animals in the touching Saif if he shows it’s okay. And if Saif moves away, we respect his wish acknowledging the feelings behind what garden. I enjoy feeding, stroking and Connecting and growing to be left alone. This helps Jala to realize that the same ‘rule’ can apply to her. she is saying. Jala, Saif and Aras have brushing them." The next step was to share her feelings with Saif. Jala told the cat about her been spending an hour together every People can also look afer their own nightmares and fear. This helped her to express herself. Animal-assisted interventions Tuesday for two months now. small plot of land in the garden, which Finally, Jala would take a more active role in her care for Saif. She would take Before they started to meet in the has animal stables made out of tradi- his paw, touch and brush him. This showed the trust they’d built. Jala felt more Jiyan Foundation healing garden in Te healing garden opened in October tional clay and uses water recycled from confident, happy and motivated. Chamchamal, Jala sufered regular pan- 2018. It ofers a safe space and a peace- nearby houses. In this green space, peo- The work has helped Jala know that she can manage her trauma symptoms and ic attacks. She had experienced physical ful environment to the thousands of ple traumatized by severe psychological feel less powerless." violence and verbal abuse. Jala was also children like Jala, and also adults in and physical violence can connect with

26 | Spotlight Healing Garden | 27 Qamishli

Te security situation in the north is relatively there has sufered from the war and ISIS terror stable at the moment, so most parts are safe and too. Many people went missing in the region: ISIS accessible. abducted them and no one knows where they are even today. Tis is a huge burden for the families. What have you achieved with your local Our services will be open to everyone. In addi- partners in 2018? tion, we will ofer more training for mental health workers to keep building local capacity. We talked to representatives of local organizations to learn more about the needs of the people and to You grew up in Kobane in northern Syr- understand what help was in place. Tis revealed ia and came to study psychology in Ger- many small initiatives to support the local popula- many in 2009, two years before the war tion led by very motivated university graduates in started. What does this work mean to you social work, psychology and education. personally? We wanted to support these local eforts, so together with our partners PEEL and Psychiatrists I love what I do, and I would help people who need Without Borders, we ofered a ten-day introducto- psychological support anywhere – but given the ry training course in mental health in Qamishli in choice, I'd help the people in Syria because the July 2018. Our aim was to build up local capacity need there is so great. I feel for my community and allow graduates to develop more skills because and it makes me happy that I can help through my opportunities for training are limited. work for the Jiyan Foundation. We taught participants how to recognize signs of mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal thoughts, and we also introduced therapeutic methods and relaxation techniques to provide tools they can use to start helping people. Mental Health How has the training been received? Te participants gave very positive feedback. Tey Care and are eager to gain knowledge and learn new skills, In 2018 we started working in Syria by training mental health and they have asked for more training. A ten-day- workers and assessing the needs of the population. Pirko Selmo course is not enough – but if we can ofer regular Capacity Building is head of monitoring and research at the Jiyan Foundation in training we can have a big impact. Berlin and regularly travels to Syria. He explains what the Jiyan Since we didn’t have much time to address in Syria questions regarding specifc challenging cases dur- Foundation has achieved in Syria and how we will help people ing the training, we started a supervision group there in the future. for participants who were already doing counseling. Once a week, I ofer online supervision to the group. We discuss their cases and any questions Why did the Jiyan Foundation start carry- who need help because it is not safe, or the gov- they have about specifc methods or the progress in ing out projects in Syria? ernment won't give them access. their patients’ treatment.

It is something we had been wanting to do for How is the Jiyan Foundation able to inter- What plans does the Jiyan Foundation years. What started as a peaceful protest in Syria vene? have to develop its work in Syria and sup- WHY WE WORK IN SYRIA in 2011 soon turned into a brutal civil war, and port people there in the future? By December 2018, more than 360,000 people had died as a result one of the largest humanitarian disasters in the We work in the northern region, an area not con- of the war in Syria, and over 1.5 million have suffered permanent world. As a result, the need for psychological sup- trolled by the Syrian government. Te autono- We want to provide long-term psychological sup- disabilities. port is huge in Syria but there is virtually no men- mous administration of the region allows external port to local people and those seeking shelter in tal health care in the country. organizations to work there in cooperation with the north. Tat’s why we are setting up a center in Around 12 million Syrians have lost their homes and livelihoods. Health clinics have been bombed and those local partners. Tis suits our approach, because Amuda near Qamishli, a town with many refu- More than six million people were forced to ﬂee within Syria, and who work in them attacked. Local and interna- we feel it's essential to empower Syrian NGOs. So gees and displaced people who have fed from ISIS more than ﬁve million sought shelter abroad. tional health organizations cannot reach people we’ve teamed up with three partner organizations. and lived in camps for years. Te local population

28 | Spotlight Syria | 29 Medical assistance

Statistics 2017 – 2018

43 % Women 13,085

17 % Girls 5,141 All clients based on target group

17% Boys 4,996

32 % Syrian refugees 11,822 23 % Men 6,925

15 % Host communities 5,646 Total 30,147

53 % Internally displaced persons 19,253 Legal counseling and representation

Total 36,721 242 Men 22 %

74 Boys 7 % All clients based on gender 30 Girls 3 %

8,331 Men 23 % 736 Women 68 % 5,997 Boys 16 %

1,082 Total

5,839 Girls 16 %

16,554 Women 45 %

Some Figures 36,721 Total

Psychotherapy 18,835 students and pupils attended 3,770 people took part in public events 50 % Women 2,733 our human rights education seminars in on human rights issues and inter-religious schools. and inter-ethnic dialogue. 12 % Girls 668 Our staf trained 5,811 teachers, social Our therapists conducted more than 95,121 workers and other professionals on human 17 % Boys 927 sessions of therapy. rights and health issues.

21 % Men 1,164 Our work was covered by 140 media 14,121 people participated in outlets, including TV and radio stations and awareness-raising, self-help and empower- newspapers. Total 5,492 ment groups.

30 | Organization Facts & Figures | 31 Team

Nina Kamal Local Directors / Sarheed Muhammed Nyan Azad Branch Managers Sarmad Omar Sabaz Ahmad Shadia Faidhulla Samuel Couturier Ako Mohammed Sharief Mirza Shadman Hiwa Azad Qader Sinan Anwer Srood Subhi Omer Abdulrazaq Sirwa Al-Jaf Suzan Yousif Rabea Yonis Solan Sherko Mahdi Rospin Baito Suham Rashid Sdeeq Hasan Wafa Rahim Janitors / Guards / Shareef Ali Waleed Omar Cooks / Gardeners Yousif Salih Yadgar Abbas Youshia Warda Chnur Husein Zainab Rasheed Fathel Dahar Medical Doctors / Zhino Rashid Fatma Abdullah Medical Specialists Zozan Islam Fouad Ismael Ghaida Yousif Akam Saeed Ghalib Hamza Arsalan Dhahir Monitoring & Ibrahim Faraj Atyaf Al-Abdulraheem Evaluation Ofﬁcers Jairan Karim Basoz Omer Kwestan Ameen Chnur Mustafa Allen Jaleel Nora Athnil Dr. Adam Adam Nazanin Salih Qamar Yaseen Dr. Farsat Saadi Members of our team during a seminar in Berlin. Rana Yousif Dr. Harem Abdulqader Sana' Mikhaeel Farah Ghazi Nurses Tawoos Salih Farhang Ghafar Zhino Karim Hardi Dhahir Gulala Mohammed Accounting / IT / Chairman Rebaz Samad Hardi Jalal Sarya Ali Administration Salah Shareef Hardi Mohammed Shayma Othman Salah Ahmad Sardar Rashed Lawyers Haveen Ali Sheerin Juma Narmin Salih Shahab Ali Hemin Ahmed Suham Mohammed Adnan Mohammed Sherko Mahmood Ali Ahmed Idris Ahmed Bestoon Hamarash Community Outreach Ofﬁcer / Waad Fouad Awara Ahmed Jalal Ahmad Darya Yahea Social Workers Dawlat Ali Jalal Hasan Pedagogue Hana Hussein Gona Mustafa Jihad Hama Juman Naoom Bahzad Murad Interns Hasan Omar Jutyar Hussein Meran Abda Mamand Hasan Bano Ali Hashim Mohammad Kurda Muhamad Maryam Karamati Faisal Haso Ako Ibrahim Hazha Othman Kwestan Karim Mohammed Ahmed Ali Haydar Sari Hiwa Fatah Laith Kishter Pharmacists / Sherko Ghadrpoor Banaz Majeed Hoshang Ghafar Maha Aziz Medical Assistants Skala Majeed Drivers Barez Mustafa Noor Ali Makwan Abdulkareem Skalla Abrahim Chyavan Naaman Othman Mahmood Mariam Daniel Amanj Hussein Araz Mohammed Cinur Ag Shayma Samin Najat Hasan Ayad Murad Aryan Abdalla Essa Abdulrahman Zhyar Abdalla Nareen Elias Bakhtyar Omer Capacity Building Fadi Eshaq Hadya Aziz Nigar Saeed Khairi Rasho Hedayat Abdullah Hawzhin Mostafa Ranj Abdulrahman Miqdam Hagi Lena Otte Karim Kareem Hozan Hussein Legal Advisor and Trainer Rebin Rashid Sarwat Abdulqader Mohammed Shafeeq Jasper Kiepe Rebwar Abdalrahman Muneer Wardah Kochar Abdulla Bojan Gavrilovic Salar Ameen Omar Rashid Marina Zellner Sally Habeeb Rane Baho Meredith Blackwell Sargon Oshana

32 | Organization Team | 33 Physiotherapists Arkan Hameed Laila Saleh Warzer Ali Vice Chairman Asma Muhamad Lavan Omar Yasa Mohammed Abdul Hussein Asmaa Salih Layla Tawfeeq Yousif Qadir Michael Lehmann Abobakr Al-Salhi Aveen Aziz Marwah Majeed Yusra Ali Hazha Tahir Avin Othman Maryam Bakr Zaid Ali Hevi Ahmed Bakhtiar Hassan Maryam Ismail Zaneera Sameen Volunteers Khalil Mohammed Bashar Mohammed Mayan Hussein Zarya Ali Kozhin Mohammed Bland Ameen Mohammed Abdulla Zewar Ahmad Ahmed Fatah Rebwar Hama Bushra Muheidin Mosleh Kareem Zuhad Yasseen Amed Yones Shano Saleh Chenar Ahmad Nabaz Ahmed Gulan Faiaq Shawkat Saeed Chya Abdulrahman Nada Khidida Hero Mohammed Chya Mohammed Nahyat Naamo Public Relations Ofﬁcer Hiran Muhammad Dana Hameed Narin Rahim Husna Omer Project Assistants Deraw Mahmood Narmin Mohammed Delman Kareem Karim Hassan Diana Qassim Niyan Isamael Las Sabah Annette Rosner Diyaro Sulaiman Nyan Isamael Lavan Othman Azad Hisso Dlivan Ali Omer Abdullah Receptionists Leoni Rossberg Bayan Nahmat Dr. Wahid Harmz Omer Mohammed Marya Abdulla Janda Yousef Ebtihal Mohamad Pakhshan Radha Darin Meho Payam Mohammed Rebin Ahmad Elham Ibrahem Payam Mahmood Deeman Mohammed Pshtiwan Ali Sukaina Hussein Evan Aziz Rangin Mohealdin Evon Uaqanda Qasm Kazm Evon Youhannan Rian Eedo Fahima Khalil Rozhan Ghafwr Fakhir Abbas Rizgar Ibrahim Fatimah Ayoob Sara Mawlood Project Coordinator Farhad Ahmed Rizgar Rahman Hive Muhammad Sara Rafa Gashaw Rashid Rozhan Ali Maryam Qoro Sarwa Arif Friederike Regel Gashaw Salih Rozhgar Rasul Paiman Ahmed Sazan Ahmad Goran Mohammed Sakhar Hero Payam Hassan Shokhan Ali Gulizar Ali Salm Mohammed Randa Jajo Sophie Metz Project Manager Hasan Khalid Samir Huossien Savinya Hamahali Zhilya Aziz Hawar Mohemmed Sara Tanoon Zryan Hasan Leif Hinrichsen Hawkar Ameen Sarwan Abdul-Qadir Hawre Rasool Sazgar Mohammed Hawre Sabir Shadan Radha Research and Monitoring Psychiatrists Hawzhin Abdulla Shadya Amin Hedi Dhahir Shahla Hesein Pirko Selmo Ammer Checho Heerish Azuo Shang Mostafa Dr. Abdulkarim Abbas Hemn Hassan Shara Ghafoor Dr. Adnan Tahir Hero Ghafour Sharmeen Hasan Research Assistant Dr. Jaafar Ahmed Huda Rasheed Shayma Hama-Sharif Dr. Perjan Taha Ibrahim Mohammed Shaymaa Ibrahim Stephanie Schweininger Dr. Redar Amin Issa Issa Sheler Mohammadian Jamal Omer Jihad Azeez Sherwan Hesen Jiwan Hasan Shorash Mohammed Supervisors Jwan Rahman Sivan Mahmood Psychologists / Jwana Faraj Skala Rashid April Gamble Psychotherapists Karzan Mohammed Suham Ghafoor Azad Ibrahim Kaveen Mohamad Tamir Khalaf Azad Ismail Akar Mohammed Khairy Ahmad Vaman As'ad Dr. Muhammad Nasser Aras Majeed Khonav Hasan Viyan Shauqi Teresa Porslid Araz Ahmed Kurdistan Muhammadamin Warjin Mho

34 | Organization Team | 35 Ofﬁces

Jiyan Foundation Duhok Jiyan Foundation Berlin Berlin Turkey Malta, Wargah St, House Z25/43/2 Koenigin-Elisabeth-Strasse 7 Duhok, Iraq 14059 Berlin, Germany Germany Kurdistan Region +964 750 7375111 +49 (0)30 2657 9381 Iran

Jiyan Foundation Erbil Duhok Amuda 104 Zaniary Quarter, Area 26, House 4 Jiyan Foundation Syria Alqosh Erbil, Iraq Kurdistan Region Erbil behind the Salah Al-Din Mosque Mosul +964 750 8920079 Amuda, Syria Syria Sulaymaniyah Kirkuk Jiyan Foundation Sulaymaniyah Jiyan Foundation Nineveh Chamchamal Halabja 31 Midya St. Mar Qardakh Quarter Sulaymaniyah, Iraq Alqosh, Iraq Kurdistan Region Kurdistan Region +964 771 0136137 +964 750 6677880

Jiyan Foundation Halabja DAMASCUS BAGHDAD The child therapy room at our trauma Iraq Farmanbaran Quarter clinic for women in Chamchamal. Halabja, Iraq Kurdistan Region +964 770 6833041

Jordan Jiyan Foundation Mosul Jiyan Foundation Kirkuk Jiyan Foundation Chamchamal

Hay Alzirai Road Rahimawa, Ali Mardan Street Shoresh Piryady Mosul, Iraq Kirkuk, Iraq Chamchamal, Iraq +964 772 7617979 +964 770 9361514 Kurdistan Region +964 770 0353322

Branches

Saudi Arabia Mobile Teams

Sub-Branches for refugees Kuwait and displaced persons Children taking care of animals at the healing garden in Chamchamal. Iraqi Kurdistan 36 | Organization Ofﬁces | 37 Partners and Te achievements described in this report were made possible by the generous support of the following donors Supporters and supporters.

in alphabetical order Johanniter International Assistance Kurdistan Regional Government MISEREOR

Aktion Deutschland Hilft German Foreign Ofﬁce Tearfund terre des hommes Foundation Wings of Hope – Germany

AUTONOME PROVINZ PROVINCIA AUTONOMA Donations BOZEN - SÜDTIROL DI BOLZANO - ALTO ADIGE

PROVINZIA AUTONOMA DE BULSAN - SÜDTIROL aktion hoffnung – Hilfe für die Mission GmbH General Directorate of Education, Duhok Christian Aid Program Northern Iraq (CAPNI) General Directorate of Health, Duhok General Directorate of Health, Kirkuk Other Supporters Consulate General of Germany, Erbil Autonomous Region of Bolzano – South Tyrol Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development International Psychoanalytic University, Berlin action medeor International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims Aso Brick Factory, Shorish Iraqi Political Prisoners Institute, Kirkuk Bauhaus University, Weimar Making Lewes Festival betterplace Mass Cement Factory, Bazyan Bishop Faris Tamas, Mayor of Chamchamal district Holy Family Church of Syriac Catholics, Kirkuk Mayor of Shorish district Board of Relief and Humanitarian Affairs (BRHA), Duhok Ministry of Endowment & Religious Affairs, Erbil BORDA Ministry of Health, Erbil Chamchamal police station Municipality Office, Chamchamal Charmo University, Chamchamal Municipality Office, Shorish The Center for Victims of Torture Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin European Commission Cinema for Peace Dr. Muzham Alkhyatt, President Ninevah University City Cinema, Sulaymaniyah Sherzad Qader Civil Development Organization Shorish police station Directorate of Health, Social Care Office, Chamchamal Department of IDPs and Refugees, Erbil Technical University, Berlin Directorate of Health, Kirkuk Trauma Aid Directorate of Health, Shekhan Department Uhl-Media GmbH Directorate of NGOs, Erbil Zaki Salih Mousa, Reformatory Directorate of Juvenile and Dr. Imad Abdul Razzaq, Women, Duhok Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) National Counsel for Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Zentrum für Psychotraumatologie und Traumatherapie Baghdad Niedersachsen Erzbistum, Augsburg ZRS Architects Engineers

38 | Organization Partners and Supporters | 39 Ways to give Contact

We support women, men and children from all walks of Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights life to build a self-determined, healthy future. Here are 104 Zaniary Quarter, Area 26, House 4 diferent ways to make a fnancial contribution to our work. Erbil · Kurdistan-Iraq

Donations are tax deductible within the SEPA area. Koenigin-Elisabeth-Strasse 7 Please leave your postal address in the transfer reference 14059 Berlin · Germany or e-mail us at [email protected]. [email protected] www.jiyan-foundation.org Donate via our website

It’s quick and easy to donate via our website www.jiyan-foundation.org. You can make a donation by Media Relations credit card, SEPA direct debit or PayPal. How You [email protected] tel +49 (0)177 1701 081 Can Help Stay Informed Our work would not be possible without the generous support of funders and donors like you. We welcome you to join our eforts facebook.com/jiyanfoundation and make a gif towards our work in Iraq and Syria. Donation account in Germany twitter.com/jiyanfoundation youtube.com/jiyanfoundation Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights Over the coming years, a major focus will be on Tat is why the Jiyan Foundation established a Ethikbank instagram.com/jiyanfoundation developing our work in Mosul. Tree years of ISIS treatment center in Mosul in 2018. Our doctors BIC/SWIFT: GENODEF1ETK rule and the months-long battle to liberate Mosul and psychologists there treat survivors free of IBAN: DE48830944950003319644 have lef many women, men and children in the charge. Many people who come to us sufer from Design city homeless, traumatized, bereaved, and wound- trauma, anxiety, depression or chronic pain. We ed. Tousands of these people need medical and support them in regaining good health and devel- Donation account in Iraq Anna Magdalena Bejenke psychological care. However, much of the city’s oping their future perspectives. [email protected] infrastructure was destroyed and most clinics have Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights / Sulaymaniyah stopped working or are operating with very limited You can help provide medical and psychological Kurdistan International Bank for Investment and Development resources. treatment to the people of Mosul by donating to BIC/SWIFT: KIBIIQBA Picture Credits our center today. Tank you! IBAN: IQ30097825163006820001 p. 5: Georg Schaumberger (BORDA) We offer therapy and medical care at our center in p. 40: Ahmad Emad Mosul, and we refer our patients to specialists as needed. Paypal all others: Jiyan Foundation

We cover all the costs, including medicine and transport, [email protected] because people in Mosul are very poor. Most could not © Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights e.V. afford treatment without our support. Omer Taha • Center Manager

40 | Donations

Outlook

During the next two years, the Jiyan Foundation will …

• forge a national COALITION FOR JUST REPARATIONS supporting survivors of human rights violations in Iraq

• set up a NETWORK OF YOUNG ACTIVISTS promoting peaceful co-existence and dialogue among diferent ethnic and religious groups in Kurdistan and Iraq

• design a deradicalization and reintegration program for former CHILD SOLDIERS enslaved by terrorist groups

• expand its medical and psychological services in northern SYRIA, in cooperation with local grassroots organizations

• create an international TRAINING AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE advancing capacity building in intercultural psychotherapy

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