 OWFI originated with the Organisation indépendante des femmes, active in Kurdistan from 1992 to 2003 despite government and religious oppression, and the Coalition de défense des droits des femmes irakiennes, founded in 1998 by Iraqi women in exile.OWFI concentrates its activities on the fight against sharia law, against abduction and murder of women and against honour killings.Thousands of members strong, it has at its disposal a network of support from outside Iraq, notably from the United States.