PHR’s work to strengthen pathways to justice and healing for survivors of sexual violence and torture in Iraq and Ukraine has produced landmark achievements, made possible by the rare and meaningful access we have gained to key government bodies in both countries. Prior to PHR’s intervention in Iraq in 2017, survivors of sexual violence and […]
In a health clinic in Uganda, a doctor recounted to PHR that five babies were born HIV positive among the 20 deliveries at the facility between mid-January and mid-April 2025 – a devastating setback after years of virtually eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The head of another Ugandan health facility described his feeling of helplessness […]
Despite the ongoing conflicts and crises in the Middle East, the international community should not shift its attention away from confronting ISIS crimes.
PHR leadership and staff recently presented key findings and evidence at the 61st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva. The team delivered several statements before the Council, partnered with other NGOs to amplify findings about the impact of attacks on health, and met with states and other partners about ongoing […]
March 30, 2026
Attacks on Health Care, Children's Rights, Sexual Violence, Torture
On November 10, 2025, just after 4:00 p.m., we uploaded our final written submissions on behalf of eight survivors of post-election sexual violence to Kenya’s Supreme Court digital filing system. The moment felt both heavy and hopeful, marking the next step in a twelve-year legal journey that has made its way up to the Supreme Court. Watching the confirmation message appear on my screen felt […]
As the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence unfolds around the world, conversations often center on the scale of the problem. We hear about alarming statistics, stories of harm, and the persistent barriers survivors face in their pursuit of justice, like how only 14 per cent of all women and girls worldwide (about 557 […]
As part of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, evidence is mounting of widespread torture and sexual violence perpetrated against Ukrainians. Survivors often face compounded harm from stigma, limited accountability pathways, and the challenges of navigating domestic justice systems. Against this backdrop, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is sharing our specialized experience using survivor-centered, trauma-informed methods […]
In May 2025, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) sent a team of forensic experts to Mosul in northern Iraq to conduct a workshop on survivor-centered justice for judges from towns that experienced crimes firsthand committed by the self-declared Islamic State (IS or ISIL). Mosul, located in the Nineveh Governorate in northern Iraq, served as the […]
On June 19, the international community marks the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict – a day to honor the strength of survivors and recommit to the pursuit of justice and healing. This year’s theme, “The Intergenerational Impact of Sexual Violence” calls global attention to the profound and enduring harm inflicted […]
As international justice experts rush to offer Syrians their TJ expertise and services, the Syrians may do well to grasp the opportunity to draw relevant lessons from such experiences around the world—and more importantly from neighboring Iraq—while recognizing key differences between the two situations.
