Human rights in Kurdistan Region

Although the Kurdish regional parliament has officially recognised other minorities such as Assyrians, Turkmen, Arabs, Armenians, Mandeans, Shabaks and Yezidis, there have been multiple accusations of attempts to "kurdify" them. The Assyrians have reported Kurdish officials reluctance in rebuilding Assyrian villages in their region while constructing more settlements for the Kurds affected during the Anfal campaign.[1] In 2008, members of ADM stated that the positions reserved for minorities in the Kurdish parliament were appointed by Kurds as the Assyrians for example had no possibility to nominate their own candidates.[2]

The Kurdish regional government, mainly entities that belong to the Kurdistan Democratic Party, have been accused of trying to "kurdify" some regions where Kurds are not majority, such as the Nineveh plains and Kirkuk by providing financial support for Kurds who want to settle in those areas.[3][4]

Human Rights Watch reported that Christian and other minorities have been victimized by Kurdish authorities’ heavy handed tactics, "including arbitrary arrests and detentions, and intimidation, directed at anyone resistant to Kurdish expansionist plans". To incorporate Nineveh other Christian lands into Kurdish territory, it was claimed Kurds have offered minorities inducements while at the same time "wielding repression in order to keep them in tow". It was alleged by some Assyrian groups that the systematic and widespread attacks on Christians that took place in 2008 in and near Mosul were committed with KRG responsibility "with the aim of undermining confidence in the central government’s security forces" and at the same time strengthening confidence in the KRG. During the killings of Christians in Mosul, the Kurdish-dominated security forces seemed unable to stop the attacks. Those allegations were denied by the KRG, and the perpetrators have not been found. HRW also stated that "KRG authorities have relied on intimidation, threats, and arbitrary arrests and detentions, more than actual violence, in their efforts to secure support of minority communities for their agenda regarding the disputed territories". A Chaldo-Assyrian leader described the Kurdish campaign to Human Rights Watch as “the overarching, omnipresent reach of a highly effective and authoritarian regime that has much of the population under control through fear. During important elections, threats against minority community politicians and voters were reported.[5]

The prominent Kurdish poet Goran brought women's rights to the Iraqi Kurdish literature in the early 20th century. Goran denounced discrimination and violence against women. The first journal for Kurdish women, Dengî Afiret "Woman's Voice", was published in 1953. Following the overthrow of monarchy in 1958, the Union of Kurdish Women lobbied for legal reform in the Iraqi civil law and it succeeded in bringing marriage under civil control and abolishing honor killing. Honor killings was serious problem among Muslim communities until Iraq illegalized it. The first female judge in Middle East was a Kurdish woman named Zakiyya Hakki who was appointed by Abd al-Karim Qasim. She later became part of the leadership of KDP.[6]

After the establishment of KRG, women were able to form their own organizations and several women became ministers in the cabinet of local government. In September 2003, Nasrin Berwari was appointed to the 25-member Iraq provisional cabinet as minister of municipalities and public works, and in June 2004, she was among six women named to the 30-member transitional cabinet and in April 2005 was named permanently to that post.[6] However, in the assessment of Dr. Choman Hardi, the director of the Center of Gender and Development at the American University of Iraq - Sulaimani, "although the Kurdistan Regional Government wants to appear progressive and democratic, by granting women their rights, it's still quite superficial and women play a marginal role."[7]

Kurdish women's rights and equality have improved in the 21st century due to progressive movements within Kurdish society and new laws. Despite the progress, Kurdish and international women's rights organizations still report problems related to gender equality, forced marriages, honor killings and female genital mutilation (FGM) in Iraqi Kurdistan. Different organizations have described the situation differently, sometimes giving conflicting statements.

In 2009 Human Rights Watch found that health providers in Iraqi Kurdistan were involved in both performing and promoting misinformation about the practice of female genital mutilation. Girls and women receive conflicting and inaccurate messages from media campaigns and medical personnel on its consequences.[8] The Kurdistan parliament in 2008 passed a draft law outlawing the practice, but the ministerial decree necessary to implement it, expected in February 2009, was cancelled.[9] As reported to the Centre for Islamic Pluralism by the non-governmental organization, called as Stop FGM in Kurdistan, the Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq, on 25 November, officially admitted the wide prevalence in the territory of female genital mutilation (FGM). Recognition by the KRG of the frequency of this custom among Kurds came during a conference program commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.[10] On 27 November 2010, the Kurdish government officially admitted to violence against women in Kurdistan and began taking serious measures.[11] 21 June 2011 The Family Violence Bill was approved by the Kurdistan Parliament, it includes several provisions criminalizing the practice.[12] A 2011 Kurdish law criminalized FGM practice in Iraqi Kurdistan and law was accepted four years later.[13][14][15] The studies have shown that there is a trend of general decline of FGM.[16]

The issues relating to LGBT+ rights in the Kurdistan region was brought to light after Rasan, a pro-LGBT+ and feminist organization based in Sulaymaniyah, started working on projects related to these topics in 2012 and more publicly in 2016. According to the organization, LGBT+ minorities still face heavy discrimination and are stigmatized in the region, they are often detained by abusing article 393 of the Iraqi Penal Code of sexual misconduct, even though homosexuality is not illegal in the region.[17]

• Human rights in Iraq