Additional Context: Women for Women International is an international NGO supporting women in conflict-affected countries. This finding draws on consultations the organization conducted in 2025 across Federal Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on the Women, Peace and Security landscape, examining the funding climate and civic space for women's rights work. In early 2025, the organization conducted consultations with women’s rights organizations in the regions it works.

The abrupt withdrawal or suspension of U.S. aid funding in February 2025, alongside reductions from other key donors compounded an already strained funding environment for Iraqi women’s organizations. Community-embedded organizations report that their locally built trust does not translate into eligibility under funding frameworks that favor national-level or government-affiliated entities, leaving independent organizations sidelined even where they are best positioned to operate in fragile areas.

Source: Women for Women International