Hammurabi Human Rights Organization - Iraqi Advice Hub of RESPOND
by Hammurabi Human Rights Organization (HHRO) | RESPOND
DEFINITION AND BACKGROUND
HHRO is a non-profit non-governmental organization with more than 100 volunteers from different regions of Iraq, managed by a board of Directors of seven persons. The organization headquarter is in Baghdad. It has branch offices in Erbil and Nineveh, and has partnerships with local and international organizations. HHRO founded on April 1, 2005, the work of the Organization has been devoted to defending human rights and the rights of vulnerable people like, refugees, displaced persons, women, and children and marginalized minorities groups. Special thematic reports and annual and semi-annual reports on the human rights situation in Iraq are issued on the situation of human rights in Iraq in addition to its attention to issues of peace building, democracy, respect for religious freedoms, pluralism and the protection of diversity.
A child showing his paintings
The children of Iraqi displaced and Syrian refugees practicing drawing
The refugees and IDP children practicing dancing
Hammurabi in its reports paid particular attention to the situation of minorities and vulnerable communities. Since 2007, Hammurabi has focused on the victims of violence and armed conflict, especially the displaced and refugees. The organization work, especially on the relief side and the provision of humanitarian assistance to them, escalated after the asylum and mass exodus of Iraqis and Syrians following the Syrian crisis and after the occupation to large areas by ISIS. On December 2018, Hammurabi became a partner in a Consortium called "RESPOND.'' In light of this partnership, the aim was to open service Hubs for Syrian refugees and displaced Iraqis, therefore, since January 2019, Hammurabi has opened two service center as follows:
1. The service center of the Al-Sakhra Complex - Nishtiman:
It was opened in a complex located near the historical Castle of Erbil in the down town; the center includes Iraqis and Syrian refugees in one place. It is dedicated to rehabilitating refugee and displaced children through art, such as painting, acting, singing, music and others. Volunteer women and men activists teach and train in the school season as well as in the summer. The center has been operating since the end of February 2019.
2. Service center for legal and psychosocial assistance in Nineveh Plain:
Which was opened in February 2019 in the city of (Baghdida) which is also called (Qaraqosh) receives applicants for legal and psychological assistance with two lawyers, one volunteer and one with nominal wages, working to provide legal aid, guidance, and awareness. Psychosocial assistance is referred to another specialized center, supervised by Hammurabi in the region, called the (Safe Return Center), Funded by another partner of HHRO.
Topics covered are:
a. legislation and laws, such as the Personal Status Law, the heirs Deed inheritance(Qassam), the Terrorism Act and matters relating to criminal law.
b. Human rights violations - Transitional justice issues such as discrimination, Gender-based violence SGBV, arrest or detention of the applicant himself / herself, enforced disappearance of a family member or relative, land and property encroachment, torture, restrictions on freedoms, compensation, labor matters or others.
c. Issuance of documents, including assistance in the issuance of civil status identification (ID Cards), Iraqi national certificate, birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce certificate, death certificate, passport, ration card, ownership document, land and property documents, and others.
d. Psychological services related to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other problems of anxiety, psychological stress, hysteria, family problems and psychological problems among youth, children and teenagers, are all referred to another center in the city of Bakhdida, supervised by Hammurabi in another program outside the framework of the Respond project.
Activities of the service Hub in Erbil:
The activities of the service center in Al-Sakhra Complex - Nishtiman in Erbil, in the first Phase during the months (March, April, May), focused training children on paintings, theatre songs, acting and dancing on aimed songs, such as to be purposeful theater play activities, and perform musical representation. The training took place in the halls of the complex, and it was displayed in a celebration or festival to end the school season. Iraqi and Syrian teachers have contributed to the voluntary training and organization of the festival with the support and supervision of Hammurabi Organization and the management of the Al-Sakhra Complex - Nishtiman. More than 100 children from Syrian refugees and displaced Iraqis have benefited from this work.
The second Phase in the summer period (June, July, and August 2019) focused on drawing and other works of art, such as singing and making theatrical performances, in preparation for the festival to be held on August 16, 2019. The beneficiaries children in the second phase are (80) boys and girls, (52) of them displaced Iraqis, (28) of whom are Syrian refugees. It is necessary to mentioned that the complex include (172) families, (52) families of them are Syrians refugee families and the remains are an Iraqi displaced families.
