- William Warda: - Promoting and respecting human rights requires a free professional media and active civil society organizations.
- During his participation in a program held in Erbil, he said, "Effective democratic action requires vital engagement in monitoring observation, participating and defending human rights."
- Highlighting the involvement of the Hammurabi Organization as an advocate of these rights
Mr. William Warda, Director of Public Relations at Hammurabi Human Rights Organization, emphasized that the promotion and respect of human rights requires the provision of basic elements upon which the democratic system is based, such as the availability of professional, independent, free and effective media responsible for such promotion.
In his speech at the Symposium on Religious Freedoms (SARF) in Erbil, Mr. Warda added that civil society organizations should exist along with the responsibility of this media to be active, effective and moves on three pillars: monitoring, participation, and advocacy.
It is to be mentioned that the symposium lasted from 12 to 15 April 2023, as part of a religious freedom education program by the National Center for the International Religious Freedom Institute,
In details saying, " Monitoring is the performance of authorities and community behavior. Participation means strengthening the democratic approach and supporting its issues. Advocacy is summarized in moving and supporting issues and files that are ignored or marginalized for political, reconciliation, or other reasons,.
Warda stressed that "the concept of monitoring means monitoring violations of human rights that may occur governmentally or in society besides issuing periodic, quarterly, semi-annual or annual reports. Also indicating that the involvement of civil society organizations in forming a public opinion on the development of policies, reform of new laws or legislation, awareness-raising and human rights education represents a starting point for promoting and respecting human rights.
During the symposium held at the Catholic University, in which international relations students from the Kurdistan Universities of Hawler and the Catholic University in Erbil participated, Mr. Warda stressed that achieving transparency, integrity and combating corruption cannot be achieved without the presence of effective civil society organizations and a non-partisan, fiscal and political media that played a vital role in monitoring the political process and detecting violations and abuses that may occur. Undoubtedly, this must be coupled with other democratic mechanisms and an independent and effective judiciary.
Regarding Hammurabi Human Rights Organization Mr. Warda answered the questions of why Hammurabi? Why was it founded? What is it characterized by? Its main activities and interests? What are its priorities?
It is to be mentioned that the program, in which Mr.William Warda participated, focuses on students within the framework of a joint effort between the National Center for Religious Freedom Education in (RFI) and its Middle East working team, with the Center for Peacebuilding and Dialogue at the Kurdistan University of Hawler, and the Catholic University in Erbil.
In all its orientations the program aims to attract the next generation to seek political leadership, the role of the media, and activity to pursue human rights.
The intervention of Mr. Warda received great positive feedback from the participants in the program.
