While violence against women is increasing all over the world, the deaths as a result of this increase are defined as femicide. One of the places where violence against women is most common is the Federal Kurdistan Region, northern Iraq. While the current policies of the KDP government do not prevent violence against women, as a result of these policies, the rules of the tribes known for their patriarchal structure are valid in the region rather than the laws.

In the Kurdistan Region, where violence against women increased by 33 per cent between 2016 and 2023, thousands of women were subjected to violence in 2022 according to official data. While the exact number is unknown due to the government's failure to record the incidents of violence, 75 femicides were reported by the press. In the first 9 months of 2023, 64 women were recorded as murdered. Suspicious deaths of women in the region are defined as "suicide" and recorded as such, while the deaths of women driven to suicide are not investigated.

Gulizar Evîn, a member of the Free Women's Movement of Kurdistan (Rêxistina Jinên Azad ên Kurdistanê-RJAK), spoke to MA on the reasons for the femicides in the Kurdistan Region and the role of the KDP government in these massacres.

64 women murdered in the first 9 months of 2023

Stating that violence and massacres against women in the region are not prevented and increase every year, Evîn said, "South Kurdistan is one of the places in the Middle East where women are massacred the most. The reason for the increase in femicides is the perspective of the society and the policies of the government. Today, women are being massacred under the name of 'honour' and this situation is legitimised. The system here paves the way for femicides. 75 women were murdered in 2022. In 2023, according to the data we have, 64 women were murdered in various ways in 9 months. Hundreds of women were subjected to violence by those closest to them, namely their father, brother, boyfriend, or husband. Here, women are subjected to violence not only at home but also on the street. Therefore, the women's organisations here need to carry out joint and serious work. If we do not carry out a joint struggle, one woman will be missing every day."

‘Women do not trust official institutions'

Noting that the policies of the government are behind the causes of violence against women, Evîn said, "KDP's policies on women pave the way for femicides by both families and patriarchal tribes. Even the human rights institutions in many cities here act with the mentality imposed on society. That is why women cannot go to these institutions. These institutions do nothing to solve women's problems. Women here do not trust official institutions and, therefore, they are silently murdered." 

'Most of the perpetrators are KDP members'

Stating that the judiciary also acts with a male mentality, Evîn said, "Most of the murderers of women are members of the ruling party, and this causes them to be acquitted by the judiciary. These men see this as an armour. That is why the judiciary is not allowed to act independently. The judiciary here operates under the shadow of the male mentality. The judiciary legitimises the femicides under the name of 'honour'. For this reason, women's organisations and human rights institutions do not examine this problem much and do not approach it with courage. The lack of courage of the institutions here causes women's deaths." 

Criticizing the judicial system in the region, Evîn said, "The judicial system here works in the same way as the judicial system in Turkey. There is no system to prosecute the murderers of women. Even if men with concrete evidence are sentenced, they are released after a few months as if they did nothing. The judiciary applies the decisions of the tribes. They execute a person who commits a minor offence but release the murderers of women.”

'The government hides the real number'

Stating that the government hides the number of murdered women and does not share the truth with the public, Evîn said: "The saddest thing is that the society and human rights organisations remain silent on femicides. These massacres cannot be stopped with a low voice. We are facing a government that hides the real number of femicides and shares false data. This is why we need to organise. The state, the government and the judiciary are behind this mentality. Therefore, the solution against violence against women and femicide is the organised struggle of women."