If the figure of 12,500 on the number of women killed for the reason of "honor"
in Kurdistan since 1991 is true then we have absolutely no reason to claim any
honor as a people. Violence against woman has no place in a descent society and
it must be condemned in the strongest terms and the perpetrators must be given
the stiffest penalties under the law. The fact that so many women are abused on
daily basis in Kurdistan with little consequences goes to show the complacency
of Kurdish leadership in these heinous crimes. Kurdistan Regional Government
(KRG) must be ashamed of this horrendous statistics. As a man and a husband I am
deeply disturbed by the chronic maltreatment of our Kurdish women by their male
relatives.
But alas, the KRG is a conglomerate of tribal confederation with closely neat
social fabric, tribal loyalties and patriarchal foundation. Unfortunately, in
such an atmosphere women are the obvious first victims.
We must stand firm for women's rights and gender equality and this must be
demonstrated with action not empty words! We must force the KRG to provide
adequate protection for women who are in need of help. We must provide abused
women with shelter and police protection and bring their abusers to justice. We
must educate Kurdish men on gender equality and respect for women's rights.
Kurdish women have been abused and underrepresented for so long and it is high
time to stand united against this gross injustice.
