Winner of first Anti-trafficking Hackathon in Kurdistan
Announced by SEED Foundation and University of Kurdistan Hewlêr
July 30, 2024 – Erbil, Iraq: Today, on World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, SEED Foundation and the University of Kurdistan Hêwler’s (UKH) Center for Peace and Development, have announced the winner of the first anti-trafficking hackathon in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
The hackathon competition witnessed seven teams, selected from over 30 applications, compete over two days at the UKH campus in Erbil. Each team was comprised of university students from Duhok, Erbil, Garmyan, Koya, and Sulaimani, who had submitted their ideas in response to the question, ‘How can we combat human trafficking in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI)?’
Introduction to Trafficking in Persons. Opening session for The Anti-Trafficking Hackathon in Kurdistan. July 29, 2024. ©SEED Foundation.
According to the latest estimates, up to 50 million people globally are trapped in modern slavery – also known as forced labor – on any given day. In Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, human trafficking is a growing challenge. Kurdistan is recognized as a source, transit, and destination. Trafficking can affect anyone – foreign workers, young people, and individuals from marginalized or minority groups, are at risk of forced labor, sexual exploitation and abuse, organ trafficking, and forced begging.
With a majority youth population, this hackathon provided Kurdistan’s next generation of leaders with the opportunity to harness and strengthen their skills and unique viewpoints to develop culturally-sensitive, locally and youth-led solutions to human trafficking in the region.
“In the last 5 years, SEED has served over 500 individuals seeking protection from trafficking. Without the dedicated agencies in the KRG and NGOs like SEED, there would be nowhere for survivors to turn. But that doesn’t mean the problem is solved. By empowering young minds to develop innovative solutions, we hope to find sustainable solutions fortified by optimism, and hope for a more free and just society for all,” Neven Wali, Director of Operations, SEED Foundation.
Teams were supported throughout the event by SEED and UKH mentors to expand upon and strengthen their initial ideas, including receiving a detailed briefing on human trafficking in the KRI, and sessions on ideation, budgeting, marketing, and presentation skills.
“It is about time to give the stage to the new generation. We made our efforts to combat the crime of Trafficking in Persons, and now, with the age of technology, we will hand over to the new generation, which will do an even better job of combating this phenomenon.”
– Prof. Keith Sharp, President of The University of Kurdistan – Hewlêr
The winning team was selected by a panel of expert judges – Keith Sharp, President of UKH, Dr. Neven Wali, Head of Operations and Nazhad Hussein, Anti-Trafficking Program Manager from SEED Foundation, and Dr. Ahmed Jaf, Senior Manager from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
The winning team at The Anti-Trafficking Hackathon in Kurdistan. July 30, 2024. ©SEED Foundation
Five young and ambitious women from the Clinical Psychology Department of the University of Koya comprised the winning team. They proposed the creation of a website called “Safe Kurdistan,” which would encompass educational materials on human trafficking, and tools to guide survivors and those at risk of this phenomenon to safety and healing.
The team was presented their trophy today, and as a part of their prize, will implement their idea in conjunction with SEED’s anti-trafficking team in the coming months.
This event wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our partner, the University of Kurdistan Hêwler’s (UKH) Center for Peace and Development, and the hard work of all the staff, volunteers, students, and faculty, who helped make this important event a reality.
-ENDS-
For media enquiries:
SEED Foundation – media@seedkurdistan.org
University of Kurdistan Hewlêr – prmc@ukh.edu.krd