VIII. Acknowledgements

This report was written by Nadya Khalife, Middle East and North Africa researcher in the Women’s Rights division, and researched by Nadya Khalife and Marianne Mollmann, advocacy director in the Women’s Rights Division. The report was reviewed and edited by Liesl Gerntholtz, Director of the Women’s Rights Division, Janet Walsh, Deputy Director of the Women’s Rights Division, Marianne Mollmann, Advocacy Director of the Women’s Rights Division, Sarah Leah Whitson, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Division, Joe Stork, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Division, Samer Muscati, Iraq researcher of the Middle East and North Africa Division, Zama Coursen-Neff, Deputy Director of the Children’s Rights Division and Joseph Amon, Director of the Health and Human Rights Division. Clive Baldwin, senior legal advisor, and Andrew Mawson, deputy program director, provided legal and program reviews.

Amr Khairy, Arabic website and translation coordinator, provided assistance with translation into Arabic. Awat Ahmed Sultan translated the report into Kurdish. Daniela Ramirez and Chloe Fussell, Women’s Rights Division associates, prepared this report for publication. Additional production assistance was provided by Grace Choi, publications director; Anna Lopriore, creative manager; and Fitzroy Hepkins, mail manager.

Human Rights Watch wishes to also thank members of the Association for Crisis Assistance and Development Cooperation (WADI) (Mr. Thomas Von der Osten-Sacken, Mr. Falah Muradkhan, Ms. Anna Mollenhauer, Ms. Suad ‘Abd al-Rahman, Ms. Shiler Kamel, Ms. Nasreen Ibrahim Khalifa, Ms. Gola Ahmad Hama, Ms. Sabrya Fatah ‘Abd allah, and Mr. ‘Asi Frood ‘Aziz) for their assistance in facilitating this research mission in the districts of Ranya and Germian and Halabja, and for their continued support. We are also thankful for the support and assistance of Ms. Dalya Salah al-Deen at the International Human Rights Law Institute/Sulaimaniya. Human Rights Watch would also like to acknowledge the interpreters who accompanied us to the homes of women and midwives, Ms. Shno ‘Abd allah and Ms. Amina Goyan.

Last but not least, Human Rights Watch would also like to sincerely thank the girls and women who welcomed us in their homes, eager to share their stories and experiences with us. Without their support in helping us document their stories, this report would’ve not been possible.

We acknowledge with gratitude the financial support of Arcadia and the other donors who have supported the work of the Women’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch.