RAW in WAR: Reach All Women in WAR

28/04/2026

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/23/world/middleeast/lebanese-journalist-amal-khalil-killed-israeli-strike.html

Mourners paid respects to Amal Khalil, who remained trapped under rubble for hours before emergency medics recovered her body.

28/04/2026

Investigate the murder of woman human rights defender Yanar Mohamed!
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/04/iraq-un-experts-demand-investigation-murder-woman-human-rights-Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur for human rights defenders

GENEVA – UN experts* today condemned the murder of Iraqi human rights defender Yanar Mohamed in March by unknown perpetrators and urged the government to act swiftly to ensure accountability.“The Government of Iraq must ensure the protection of women human rights defenders against violence and t...

05/03/2026

05/03/2026

We are devastated by the killing of our beloved friend, Iraqi feminist leader Yanar Mohammed, co-founder of the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI), who was shot outside her home in Baghdad on Monday.

In 2003, she founded the first women’s shelter in Iraq to protect women from trafficking, honor killings, and systemic abuse becoming the target of death threats over her activism. Despite constant threats to her life, she continued to establish shelters across the country, offering protection and hope to women with nowhere else to turn. Through OWFI, she built a feminist resistance movement in Iraq — challenging military occupation, imperialism, religious militias, patriarchal violence in all its forms.

“Yanar was a warrior for women’s freedom. She understood that imperialism, patriarchy, war, occupation, and fundamentalism all feed violence against women. She risked everything to protect women in Iraq. She built shelters when it was dangerous to even speak about women’s rights. We will continue her fight.”
– V (formerly Eve Ensler)

With Yanar’s assassination, we have lost a courageous and visionary leader. Her killing is a painful reminder of the grave dangers faced by women human rights defenders around the world at a time when women’s rights are increasingly under threat. Yanar never stopped fighting for women’s rights, dignity, and freedom. We honor her and her life’s work.

Read more about Yanar: vday.link/yanarmohammed

05/03/2026

13/10/2025

An insightful article about Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace laureate and recipient of the Anna Politkovskaya Award:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/11/malala-yousafzai-growing-up-getting-cynical-how-getting-high-nearly-broke-her #

The global icon of women’s education is ready to tell the full story of her turbulent recent life, from arguing with her parents to being ghosted by the statesmen who were once desperate to be seen with her

08/10/2025

On the anniversary of the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee held a two-day forum to talk about journalism in times of war:

Against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing full-scale war against Ukraine, we will explore the challenges and responsibilities of journalism in times of conflict—both during Russia’s aggression and in the broader context of hybrid and information warfare. The program will also focus on Northern ...

07/10/2025

19 years ago since the murder of Anna Politkovskaya.

Уже после того как в 2021 году фильм-расследование был представлен аудитории, российские власти объявили упоминаемые здесь «Важные истории» нежелательной организа....

23/08/2025

Latvian human rights defender Ieva Raubisko
was sentenced this week to 200 hours community work only for assisting Syrian refugees. Helping people in need, fleeing from war and conflict can never be a crime!

She has already spent more than 500 days on trial for a humane action which deserves respect and not prosecution.

Ieva has been a friend and supporter of RAW in WAR for many years. She has worked with and supported many human rights defenders from Russia/Chechnya. She was a friend of Natalia Estemirova, RAW in WAR's first recipient of the Anna Politkovskaya Award.
We stand in support with Ieva Raubisko!

I’m hearing disturbing news that WHRD Ieva Raubiško was found guilty today by Latgale District Court in Rēzekne, , and sentenced to 200 hours of community service for assisting Syrian asylum seekers. She reportedly spent 539 days on trial, facing 1.5 years’ imprisonment as requested by the prosecutor. While it’s a relief she’ll not serve prison time, this verdict remains deeply troubling. Assisting asylum seekers is not a crime and criminalising those who do this vital work is a very dangerous precedent.

Permanent Mission of Latvia to the UN in Geneva Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia

22/08/2025

Sexual violence as a weapon of war rose sharply during 2024 according to a recent UN report.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/08/1165650

Those, who report about such crimes and those, who help the survivors are often targeted, too, to silence them, to punish them for speaking out.

The UN report also notes that while there are more acts of conflict-related sexual violence, there is less funding to support those working for the survivors of such crimes.

With its annual Anna Politkovskaya Award, RAW in WAR has recognised for years, women, who refused to be silenced when speaking out about crimes against humanity and other human rights violations, including about sexual violence as a weapon of war.

Sexual violence in conflict zones rose sharply in 2024, increasing by a quarter compared to the previous year, the UN reported on Thursday. More than 4,600 survivors endured abuses used as weapons of war, torture, terrorism and political repression.