Local News
FGM Banned in Kurdistan
By Arez Taha Sadiq
From Sulaimany, Iraq
The Iraqi Kurdistan parliament unanimously passed a new legislation against female genital mutilation (FGM) on June 22nd. The new law criminalizes the practice of FGM in Kurdistan. The legislation came after extensive awareness campaigns by several civil organizations and is seen as a milestone in the effort to eliminate FGM in Kurdistan. There have been talks since 2008 on proposing a law against FGM, but many government officials at that time were reluctant to discuss this issue publicly.
The law also bans domestic violence and forced marriages. Perpetrators of FGM and domestic violence might face between six months to three years of jail, and a fine of several million dinars.
FGM is seen by almost all international organizations as a degrading practice and an assault on basic human rights. FGM is known to cause extreme pain and suffering and sometimes even death from blood loss. It is usually practiced on girls between the ages of three and 12 years and is done at home using everyday tools. The procedure is usually carried out by an unprofessional with no knowledge of medicine and healthcare, and the tools used are often unsterilized which can lead to deadly infections.
The disturbingly high number of women who had undergone FGM in Kurdistan has led to numerous awareness campaigns and efforts to end the practice. Human Rights Watch (HRW) released several reports last year regarding the prevalence of FGM in Kurdistan. HRW also condemned the practice, and criticized the government’s unwillingness to deal with the prevalent issue. HRW states that FGM is practiced in Kurdistan mainly because of tradition and as a way to preserve cultural identity, but there are religious and social implications as well.
Last year, the Kurdistan Islamic Scholars Union released a fatwa which stated that Islam doesn’t condone FGM and it was better for people not to practice it. HRW saw the fatwa as an important effort, but stated that it was not enough since the fatwa only advices people not to practice FGM, but doesn’t ban it outright. Kurdistan's health minister, Taher Hawrami also said that even though the government and NGOs are taking steps to decrease FGM, religious leaders should have the main role in ending the practice.
In 2007, a study done by the Association for Crisis Assistance and Development Cooperation (WADI) concluded that about 57% of women in Kurdistan had fallen victim to FGM. It is especially widespread in the rural areas of Kurdistan, where the government and NGO haven’t effectively reached out to yet.
FGM Banned in Kurdistan
By Arez Taha Sadiq
From Sulaimany, Iraq
The Iraqi Kurdistan parliament unanimously passed a new legislation against female genital mutilation (FGM) on June 22nd. The new law criminalizes the practice of FGM in Kurdistan. The legislation came after extensive awareness campaigns by several civil organizations and is seen as a milestone in the effort to eliminate FGM in Kurdistan. There have been talks since 2008 on proposing a law against FGM, but many government officials at that time were reluctant to discuss this issue publicly.
The law also bans domestic violence and forced marriages. Perpetrators of FGM and domestic violence might face between six months to three years of jail, and a fine of several million dinars.
FGM is seen by almost all international organizations as a degrading practice and an assault on basic human rights. FGM is known to cause extreme pain and suffering and sometimes even death from blood loss. It is usually practiced on girls between the ages of three and 12 years and is done at home using everyday tools. The procedure is usually carried out by an unprofessional with no knowledge of medicine and healthcare, and the tools used are often unsterilized which can lead to deadly infections.
The disturbingly high number of women who had undergone FGM in Kurdistan has led to numerous awareness campaigns and efforts to end the practice. Human Rights Watch (HRW) released several reports last year regarding the prevalence of FGM in Kurdistan. HRW also condemned the practice, and criticized the government’s unwillingness to deal with the prevalent issue. HRW states that FGM is practiced in Kurdistan mainly because of tradition and as a way to preserve cultural identity, but there are religious and social implications as well.
Last year, the Kurdistan Islamic Scholars Union released a fatwa which stated that Islam doesn’t condone FGM and it was better for people not to practice it. HRW saw the fatwa as an important effort, but stated that it was not enough since the fatwa only advices people not to practice FGM, but doesn’t ban it outright. Kurdistan's health minister, Taher Hawrami also said that even though the government and NGOs are taking steps to decrease FGM, religious leaders should have the main role in ending the practice.
In 2007, a study done by the Association for Crisis Assistance and Development Cooperation (WADI) concluded that about 57% of women in Kurdistan had fallen victim to FGM. It is especially widespread in the rural areas of Kurdistan, where the government and NGO haven’t effectively reached out to yet.
