Joint Statement: In Memoriam Yanar Mohammed on International Women’s Day

The European Union Delegation and EU Member States in Iraq, the Embassies of Australia, Canada, United Kingdom and Switzerland express their deep sorrow about the killing of Ms. Yanar Mohammed, President of the Women's Freedom Organization in Iraq (OWFI) and woman human rights defender, on 2 March 2026 in Baghdad. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and colleagues, and reaffirm our commitment to the values of equality, justice, and inclusion for which she stood.

Yanar Mohammed dedicated her life to defending women's rights and supporting survivors of violence. With her organisation OWFI she provided vital support to women escaping abuse and exploitation. Her killing is a profound loss to the women's movement in Iraq, and a heavy hit to civil society and peaceful civic engagement.

On International Women’s Day, this is a painful reminder of how much still needs to be done to protect women from violence and advance women’s rights.

We strongly condemn this attack. We commend the Iraqi government for initiating an immediate and thorough investigation into this matter and emphasise the importance of accountability for the perpetrators.