Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice Condemns the Killing of Yanar Mohammed

News

March 3, 2026 2 min.

March 3, 2026—On 2 March 2026, Yanar Mohammed, Iraqi woman human rights defender and co-founder of the Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI), was shot and killed by armed men outside her home in Baghdad.

Yanar Mohammed dedicated her life to advancing women’s rights. Through OWFI, she helped establish shelters and support networks for women at risk, often in the face of serious threats to her own safety.

Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice joins the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition in condemning her assassination in the strongest terms.

We call on the Iraqi authorities to:

Publicly condemn the killing of Yanar Mohammed.
Carry out an immediate, independent, and transparent investigation into her killing, in line with international human rights standards.
Ensure the protection and security of OWFI members and other women human rights defenders in Iraq.

The killing of Yanar Mohammed underscores the persistent and gendered risks faced by women human rights defenders worldwide.

States have a clear obligation to protect those who advance equality and justice and to address the structural conditions that place them at risk.

We stand in solidarity with Yanar Mohammed’s family, colleagues, and the broader feminist movement in Iraq and beyond.

Statements

Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI)
https://www.instagram.com/p/DVYY9PpDgzW/

Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition
https://whrdic.org/our-work/solidarity-actions/statement-killing-yanar-mohammed-iraqi-woman-human-rights-defender

Front Line Defenders
https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/iraq-killing-woman-human-rights-defender-and-feminist-yanar-mohammed

MADRE
https://www.madre.org/media-item/yanarmohammed/