Eve Ensler and Jane Fonda Welcome Yanar Mohammed

in New York City

            On November 18, 2003, Yanar Mohammed the founder of Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq was interviewed by “V-Day: Celebrating Vagina Warriors" founder/Playwright, Eve Ensler in a gathering in NYC in which 200 people participated. Ensler became famous when she produced the play “The Vagina Monologues” a play that talks candidly about women’s relationship to their bodies and sexuality.   The play received great critical acclaim and continues to play in Venues throughout the US.

            V-Day is a non profit organization and a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop worldwide violence against women and girls including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM), and sexual slavery.  It provides funding to create and nurture innovative programs to stop the violence. The 'V' in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina.

V-Day hosted this even to:

·     Raise awareness of the plight of women in Iraq today.

·     Gather political support for the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq and for Defense of Iraqi Women's Rights, organizations working to improve the status of women through active involvement in the political debate over Iraq's future and other groups.

·     Secure resources to assist Iraqi women in their struggle against violence and oppression, both politically and literally.

            Academy Award winning Actor/Activist Jane Fonda and V-Day Executive Director Jerri Lynn Fields introduced the evening and Yanar Mohammed to the Audience. In response to Eve Ensler’s questions, Yanar Mohammed spoke about the deteriorating conditions of women in Iraq, particularly after the US war on the Iraqi people and occupation of Iraq.  She said the US war not only has brought massive destruction to Iraqi society and civil life of the masses but also it has an unleashed unbridled attack and violence against Iraqi women.  She pointed out that the US cooperation with reactionary forces as well as the chaos created by the war has allowed the Islamist groups to launch an attack against women.  She spoke in detail about the abduction, murder, and rape of Iraqi women.

            Yanar Mohammed also spoke about the Organization of women’s freedom in Iraq (OWFI).  She said her organization has worked hard to defend women’s rights in Iraq by highlighting their conditions and bringing international attention to their plights.  One of the important projects of OWFI is their women’s shelter in Baghdad.  This shelter is a safe haven for women who escape domestic violence and “honor killing.”

            Yanar Mohammed also spoke about OWFI’s plan to expand its activity not only in Baghdad but across Iraq.   According to the plan, OWFI intends to establish 5 shelters in major Iraqi cities.  These shelters and the resources that they provide will become “power zones” for women through which women will be able to organize themselves and defend their rights and freedom.   She said OWFI wants to turn their current paper “Equality” into a daily newspaper in addition to establishing a 24 hour radio station and TV channel. She also pointed out that OWFI wants to put together a team of lawyers and legal scholars to produce a constitution for Iraq that puts women’s right at the top of its agenda and provides freedom, equality and a better future for the Iraqi masses.

            Yanar Mohammed’s talk was well received by the audience and in many instances her talk was interrupted by applause.   At the end of her talk, the audience contributed about $1400 to OWFI, and many people at the meeting expressed their support for Iraqi women and their struggle for freedom.

            This meeting was part of an evolving series of events that included meeting with funders, talking to media outlets, visiting some elected US officials at the Congress and a speaking engagement in Washington DC.