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Working to Reduce Female Genital
Mutilation in Iraqi Kurdistan
25.12.2009
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December 25, 2009
ERBIL-Hewlêr,
Kurdistan region 'Iraq', — Female Genital Mutilation
(“FGM”) is recognised internationally as a violation
of the human rights of girls and women. It reflects
deep-rooted inequality between the sexes, and
constitutes an extreme form of discrimination
against women. The practice also violates a person's
rights to health, security and physical integrity,
the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman
or degrading treatment, and the right to life when
the procedure results in death.
For generations, FGM has been an embedded
traditional practice in Kurdistan, but, with the
help of a UK-funded project, this is starting to
change.
With funding from the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office, a specialist German NGO called WADI has been
working to reduce the practice in Kurdistan, and to
increase the numbers of senior figures who speak out
against it. |
For generations, FGM (female circumcision) has been
an embedded traditional practice in Kurdistan, but,
with the help of a UK-funded project, this is
starting to change |
The project has the
support of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG),
the United Nations, the Dutch MFA, and various human
and women’s rights groups in KRG, as well as several
MPs and doctors from the region. The project has
raised awareness of the issue of FGM across KRG,
using computer equipment and a specially produced
film. 7000 information booklets are being
distributed to MPs, health workers, Imans, teachers,
social workers and community leaders to encourage
them to speak out against the practice of FGM. Four
TV spots focusing on the issue are due to be
broadcast shortly. Draft legislation is currently
being discussed in the Kurdish Parliament, which
would ban FGM and impose penalties on those who
practised it.
On 8 November, Bev Simpson the British Deputy Consul
General travelled with a WADI mobile team to a
Halabja women's centre to see them run one of their
FGM awareness meetings. More than 50 women attended,
and the two speakers (a lawyer and a social worker)
showed the FGM film, then took a question and answer
session which was very lively. There was a great
deal of debate among the women on whether FGM is
required under Islam and whether it is still
practised as widely as studies suggest.
* Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a human
rights violation and a severe form of violence
against women and children. In Iraq, as in other
countries of the Middle East, official documents of
governments and United Nations agencies alike, still
neglect this abuse. As a consequence, Women’s groups
and human rights organizations, supported by the
German NGO Wadi initiated the campaign »Stop FGM
Kurdistan
Copyright, respective
author or news agency, ukiniraq.fco.gov.uk
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