Amir Ashour is a human rights defender with 10 years of experience working with Iraqi and international organisations. He is the founder and executive director of IraQueer, Iraq’s first and only LGBT+ organisation which focuses on education and advocacy for LGBT+ Iraqis. He has a masters degree in human rights from Columbia University. He was an honouree at the QX Gay Gala in Sweden and has been nominated to other awards including the Raoul Wallenberg Academy Prize and The David Kato Voice and Vision Award.