Honor killings have claimed over 35 lives in Kurdistan region

Honor killings have claimed over 35 lives in Kurdistan region

kurdsatnews

Nov 26, 2022

Banner at a women's rights activists campaign with images of women killed for "honor killing" across the Kurdistan region.

Emma Organization for Human Development Executive Director Bahar Ali told KurdSat English that "only in 2022, 35 women are murdered across the Kurdistan region, from Zakho (Northernmost city in Kurdistan region) to other cities." Killing women has increased in the past years, with the government trying to tackle the problem and bring perpetrators to justice, as many femicides remain at large.

"The figures are alarming, and different reasons are brought up for killing women, such as social problems and honor killings, but I personally believe that the reasons is because they are woman," Emma chief added. "Woman is the vulnerable pray that man can easily assault as he wishes or wants," Bahar Ali said.

A women’s rights activist explained that groups dedicated to fighting femicide would gather in Erbil to launch the National Campaign to Combat Violence Against Women, aiming to raise awareness about violence against women.

New Organization for Women's Rights held a seminar in Halabja that presented figures about violations against women. Halabja Police Department Spokesperson Barzan Osman said at the workshop that no femicide is recorded in Halabja, and all cases related to violence against woman has been closed.

Violence against women is a phenomenon in the Kurdistan region, with many women killed for honor killings. However, efforts from governmental and non-governmental organizations have helped reduce the number of killings.

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