Global Fund for Women Honors the Life of Yanar Mohammed
Global Fund for Women mourns the assassination of Yanar Mohammed, a feminist leader who dedicated her life to defending women’s rights in Iraq. Yanar was killed in what appears to be a targeted attack on her home on March 2nd, a devastating loss for feminist movements around the world.
Yanar spent her life defending the rights and dignity of women in the face of crisis and conflict. She established Iraq's first women's shelter for survivors of domestic violence and trafficking, created safe houses across conflict zones, and led groundbreaking advocacy to legalize shelters in the country and fight human trafficking. Her leadership enabled hundreds of women to find safety, support, and a path forward, while also building platforms for feminist organizing, advocacy, healing, and recovery.
“Our shelters are not only a place for women to rest and feel safe and go back to their lives. They are schools for social transformation for women to turn from victims into defenders of rights." – Yanar Mohammed, interview with Global Fund for Women, 2016
Yanar Mohammed served as an advisor to Global Fund for Women for more than a decade, bringing deep expertise on feminist organizing in crisis and conflict. Her clarity, courage, and unwavering commitment to Iraqi women and girls shaped our understanding of what it means to resource feminist groups in the most challenging circumstances.
Feminist leaders working in crisis and conflict continue to resist violence and oppression with extraordinary courage. They do so not only for the present moment, but out of a deep commitment to women and girls they may never meet—trusting that their resistance today can make life more possible for those who come after them. Yanar embodied this commitment every day.
As we grieve and honor her life and dedication to justice, we remain committed to supporting feminist grassroots groups around the world who continue this work and the vision she helped build.
Foto: Hans Jorgen Brun
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