To make this project a success and build our network, we reached out to and met with various stakeholders in the community, including the Directorate of Combating Violence Against Women, the High Council Women‘s Affairs, the Baghdad Women‘s Network, members of the diplomatic community (US, German, Italian, Norwegian, Canadian and the EU), the Ministry of Higher Education, the Ministry of Culture, the KRG Deputy Prime Minister, academics and administrators in the MENA region, and university faculty and presidents (Cairo, Beirut, Rania, Chemchemal and Halabja). We also participated in conferences, seminars, and workshops. To build community capacity, we conducted needs assessment surveys of women activists, local stakeholders, and NGOs working on gender and social justice issues to identify their training needs. We then provided needs-based training and supported local stakeholders, NGOs, the public and private sector staff including companies, journalists, female judges and prosecutors, academics, social workers, NGO activists, and young people.