The Human Rights Council Forum on Minority Issues Guaranteeing the Rights of Minority Women 4th Session Geneva, November 29-30, 2011 Intervention concerning Item 5 of the Work Programme Intervention presented by Hussam Abdullah from Iraq (The Azidi Fraternity & Solidarity League (AFSL)) and (The Alliance of Iraqi Minorities (AIM)). Thank you Mr President for the opportunity to intervene, As an organization we are concerned with the increase in the number of Iraqi Azidi women and girls who have committed suicide. The reasons for this rise are low economic status of their families, in addition to the absence of cultural institutions, social practices and traditions and honour killings. A statistic carried out by our organization in one of the housing units in Sinjar District, whose estimated population is 150,000, showed that in 2009 there were 19 cases of suicide among women, while in 2010 the number increased to 54 cases. This year, 2011, the number reached 75 cases, and this rise is a cause for growing concern. Recommendations for the Iraqi Government and the Civil Society  I invite both the Iraqi government and the Civil Society to increase efforts in raising awareness of the dangers of suicide; increasing women's chances to achieve professional rehabilitation and financial independence; providing centres for psychological rehabilitation for suicide survivors; launch discussions on women's rights and identify all forms of discrimination against women. Thank you for listening.