IraQueer turns five

                                                                    Thank you for helping us reach ONE MILLION people

Today, IraQueer celebrates its five year anniversary. During those five years, IraQueer quickly transformed from an online platform to a registered human rights organization that is recognized by the international community, quoted by governments and UN agencies, and most importantly, relied on by thousands of LGBT+ Iraqis.

In the last five years, we have produced information in Iraqi Arabic and Sorani Kurdish that never existed before. We trained more than 100 activists, social workers, and journalists. We spoke at some of the biggest events in the world including the UN’s Human Rights Council, the General Assembly, and One Young World. Our work has encouraged other Iraqi organizations to be more intersectional in their approach to human rights and speak up for the rights of underrepresented groups like the LGBT+ community.

Together with our Iraqi and international partners, we have achieved several political wins for LGBT+ Iraqis. Starting with the submission of numerous reports to United Nations mechanisms that resulted in giving Iraq several LGBT+ focused recommendations, and ending with our most recent win of having the Iraqi government recognize the right to life of individuals regardless of their sexual orientation.

While we still have a very long way to go and many other milestones to reach, we want to take this moment to reflect on our progress and to thank all the organizations, government, and individuals who believed in us and supported us throughout the last five years. Thank you for helping us reach more than ONE MILLION people online and offline. Thank you for being generous with your time, resources, and knowledge, and for helping us refine our work and be more effective. We have laid a strong foundation in the last five years because of your support.
​
Today, all of us at IraQueer are determined to fight harder for human rights of LGBT+ Iraqis. For the coming years, we will be focusing most of our efforts on building an Iraqi human rights movement in which talking about LGBT+ rights is the norm. Together with current and future partners, we will build on the successes of our previous advocacy campaigns and continue to push for the legal and social protection of LGBT+ Iraqis. Our fight will not end until every LGBT+ Iraqi is protected, recognized, and able to live the life they deserve, and for that, we will continue to need your support so we hope you are as determined and excited about the future as we are.