KURDISTAN: Pioneering Research into Honour-based Violence Launched in Erbil

A pioneering research project and report commissioned by the Kurdistan Regional Government on honour-based violence was launched in Erbil on November 25, the international day for the elimination of violence against women.

The two-year research project was commissioned in 2008 by the then prime minister Nechirvan Barzani to investigate honour-based violence in Kurdistan and among the Kurdish community in Britain.

The research was carried out by Professor Gill Hague, professor of gender studies at Bristol University, Dr Nazand Begikhani, research fellow at Bristol University, Dr Aisha Gill, senior lecturer at Roehampton University, and Kurdish Women's Rights Watch. In addition to the report setting out the researchers' conclusions, there is also a suggested action plan.

The report was launched at a seminar in Erbil attended by women's rights organisations, academics, faith leaders, and ministers and senior officials from the Kurdistan Regional Government including Asos Najeeb, Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, and Kawa Mahmoud, Minister for Culture, who represented Prime Minister Barham Salih at the seminar. Minister of Interior Karim Sinjari and the President's Chief of Staff Dr Fuad Hussein also attended.

“The Kurdistan Regional Government welcomes this pioneering report which was commissioned by former Prime Minister Barzani as the first academic research into honour-based violence in our society and among the Kurdish community in Britain. The report puts this issue within the context of other countries that suffer from this blight as well as within Kurdistan's culture, history and struggle against dictatorship,” said Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, the KRG's High Representative to the UK, who chaired the launch of the report.

“The research recognises the many steps taken by the KRG, the judiciary and police, the Kurdistan Parliament, faith leaders and of course women's rights activists to eliminate all forms of violence against women and to provide them with support. However, the research also shows that much more needs to be done and there needs to be a coordinated approach. The KRG will study the report and action plan carefully to see how it can be implemented.”

Alistair Burt, the British Foreign Office Minister for Middle East, welcomed the report during his visit to Kurdistan. “Honour crimes have no place in a modern society and I have been heartened by the Kurdistan Regional Government's efforts to crack down on them. No matter how unacceptable, traditions will always be difficult to change. Dealing with these crimes requires courage and determination and I welcome the Kurdistan Regional Government's leadership and commitment to bring an end to impunity in this area. I am proud that, through Roehampton and Bristol Universities, the UK is supporting such crucial work. This report marks an important step. The recommendations offer a roadmap to combating honour-based violence in Iraqi Kurdistan. The UK will continue to work with the Kurdistan Regional Government in realising this goal.”

The report found that the KRG and the various agencies in Iraqi Kurdistan Region have made some helpful progress in addressing honour-based violence in the Region. For example, the passing several notable legal amendments to reduce violence against women and crimes in the name of honour.

These actions have set a positive precedent, although the research evidence demonstrated that their implementation does need some improvement. Honour-based violence remains prevalent in Kurdish communities in different locations, as well as among other peoples in different countries across the world. The conclusions of the study were that honour-based violence manifested in broadly similar ways for Kurdish communities in both Kurdistan Region and the UK.

Awareness of honour-based violence in Kurdistan is now emerging. In this work, Iraqi Kurdistan is taking a lead across the wider global region of the Middle East. The research produced an Action Plan for the Kurdistan Regional Government and for Kurdish agencies, as well as recommendations for the UK.

The launch of this report was among dozens of events around Kurdistan during the past week to raise awareness of violence against women.