The three health centres in Al-Bwjwary (Baiji), Al-Dayoum (Tikrit) and Al-Khadraniyah (Shirkat) are fully equipped with medical equipment, modern laboratories and outpatient clinics and offer high quality, gender-sensitive healthcare for all. The ASB works closely with the Ministry of Health and the Health Directorate in the province of Saladin to support the health centres for three years and to train and mentor the 120 staff working at the health facilities.

The project places particular emphasis on gender equality in healthcare and thus improves the situation for girls and women. It provides comprehensive services in the area of mother-child-newborn health, as well as expanding sexual and reproductive health services. The range of services includes not only treatments, but also preventive measures. This includes screening for cancer.

Alongside the direct cooperation with the three health centres, the ASB works with thirty-three community health educators, who mediate between the three health centres and the municipalities. They also promote health and gender equality. Recent educational efforts have focused on the issues of adolescent marriage and the importance of breastfeeding, targeting more than 18,000 people, women, public figures, community leaders and local NGOs.

This approach addresses highly sensitive issues for this traditionally Sunni Muslim region like Saladin. The aim in doing so is to take a step towards softening gender-specific roles and reducing the use of traditional norms and negative coping mechanisms that are harmful to health.

In order to promote gender equality, the project deliberately focuses its intervention efforts on the community itself. Firstly, a common understanding is developed within the communities and actors are identified who support this approach. The local partner organisation is responsible for implementing the health component at the community level. They run awareness-raising campaigns to make people more aware of the issue and change people’s behaviour.

Attracting sceptics of change such as men, community leaders, mukhtars, university scholars, influential leaders, religious leaders as role models is important in order to minimise resistance in a male-dominated society and to initiate the first steps towards a change in consciousness towards early marriage and youth pregnancy.