Our projects - "In Action for your Rights!"
On June 1, 2024, AID project 012970-01-3 "In Action for your Rights! Protecting the Christian minority and creating a culture of human rights in Iraq," funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS). This is the third project that the John Paul II Foundation is implementing in Iraq in favor of Christians, drawing on a fund allocated by the Italian government for the protection of the freedom of Christian minorities in crisis contexts. The initiative takes place in the country's two most important cities: Baghdad, the political and administrative capital, and Basra, the economic capital.
A Baghdad, 20 women have already completed a vocational training course as hairdressers, while 13 workers from the Rehabilitation Center of "Caritas Iraq" followed a path to retrain their skills supported by Italian experts.
A total of 400 students and teachers were involved in a training cycle in 4 public universities (including three in Baghdad and one in Basra), in order to increase the awareness and the respect for the human rights of women, children, the disabled and members of ethnic and religious minorities.
A Basra, through individual psychological support service in schools 331 children have been followed to date. aged 3 to 14 years with trauma or at risk; 124 parents have participated in orientation sessions on child protection and safeguarding; 71 social workers have been trained on issues related to children's and women's rights, treatment of cases of violence and case management psychological; finally, 1,652 children and youth were able to take part in cultural and recreational activities, sports, and school support.
All these numbers conceal stories of suffering, injustice, but also of hope.
In a context marked by insecurity and socio-political instability, the John Paul II Foundation continues to pursue its commitment to the integral development of the person.
Thibault Joannais
Iraq project manager