OneWorld.net (U.S.)

Nominated by: Jodie Evans of CodePink

© CODEPINK: Women for PeaceIn the aftermath of the U.S. invasion in 2003, pharmacist Dr. Rashad Zidan founded the Knowledge for Iraqi Women Society (K4IWS) in response to the needs of women working to hold their families and communities together in war-torn Iraq.

In March 2006, Zidan made a CodePink-sponsored trip to the United States to share her story and her determination to "relieve the suffering of Iraqi women by providing financial, occupational, medical, and educational resources."

K4IWS offers basic health services, financial loans, schools for children, and courses for women to develop literacy and marketable skills. The organization currently employs 70 people and has 300 volunteers across Iraq. In 2006 alone CodePink raised over $10,000 to help K4IWS continue their important work and to raise awareness about the lives and insights of Iraqi women.

Says Zidan: "If you listen to the people who are in the midst of the conflict, they will help you better understand how to end the violence and suffering because they have firsthand knowledge and experience."

Also notable: Safaa Elagib Adam, from the Community Development Association based in Khartoum, Sudan, discusses [audio] the important role women play in the peace process there, which often goes ignored.

Sri Lankan Visaka Dharmadasa, founder of the Association of War-Affected Women and Parents of Servicemen Missing in Action, was highlighted in February's "Women in the Lead" edition of Perspectives. Motivated by the disappearance of her own son during the fighting in Sri Lanka, Dharmadasa aims to foster economic development for women across conflict lines and educate communities about international standards of conduct in war.

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