Over the past three decades, the Kurdistan Region has undertaken significant legal and institutional reforms to advance women’s rights. Despite operating in a region often characterized by conservative gender norms, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has established a progressive gender strategy that includes legal reforms, social policies, and the institutionalization of gender issues. However, the journey toward gender equality continues to face substantial challenges.
Legal reforms reshape women’s rights landscape
Since the early 2000s, the KRG has implemented numerous legislative changes to improve women’s legal status. These reforms have often come in response to advocacy from women’s rights groups campaigning against Iraqi laws that perpetuated women’s subjugation.
One of the most significant reforms came in 2002 when the regional parliament passed Law No. 14 addressing honor crimes. This groundbreaking legislation removed “lenient punishment” provisions and reclassified crimes committed with the pretext of “honorable motivation” as murder, subject to full penalties.
In 2008, the KRG took another major step by passing Law No. 15, which placed strict conditions on polygamy. The new law stipulates that “marrying more than one woman is not allowed unless authorized by the judge” and limits permissible circumstances for taking a second wife. In the same year, parliament passed Law No. 6 on Preventing the Misuse of New Information Technologies, aimed at addressing digital violence against women.
Perhaps most notable was the 2011 passage of the Combating Domestic Violence Law No. 8, which addressed multiple forms of gender-based violence including female genital mutilation and forced marriages. The law established specialized courts and empowered various institutions to tackle gender-based violence through a holistic approach.
Institutionalizing gender equality
Beyond legal reforms, the KRG has worked to institutionalize gender issues within governmental structures. This process accelerated after 2005 with the reunification of KRG administrations, when the then Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani appointed an Equality Advisor and established an Equality Unit within the Council of Ministers.
In 2008, the KRG established a High Commission to address violence against women, bringing together multiple ministries to tackle the issue with a comprehensive approach. The commission particularly focused on monitoring “honor”-based violence. That same year saw the establishment of women’s protection centers and shelters across the three Kurdistan Region governorates, along with emergency telephone lines for women to contact police.
The institutionalization of gender equality reached another milestone in 2011 with the establishment of the High Council of Women’s Affairs (later renamed the High Council of Women’s Development), tasked with devising strategies and promoting government gender equality programs. By 2012, the KRG had endorsed the National Strategy to Combat Violence Against Women.
Educational advancements and persistent challenges
Recognizing the importance of evidence-based policy, the KRG has supported research and educational initiatives on gender issues. In 2008, the government commissioned the first qualitative study on honor-based violence in the Kurdistan Region and Kurdish diaspora in the UK, which provided an action plan that began implementation in 2011.
The integration of gender studies into education began in earnest in 2011 with the establishment of the first Gender and Violence Studies Center at the University of Sulaimanya, supported by funding from the British Council. This initiative expanded significantly, and by 2017, the KRG had ordered the establishment of gender studies centers in all universities across the region, resulting in more than 25 such centers.
These legal reforms have increased penalties for ‘honor’ crimes, while gender-focused institutions in the Kurdistan Regional Government have raised awareness, supported victims, and advocated for women’s rights. However, the implementation of these reforms still faces significant challenges, including institutional weaknesses, inadequate monitoring, political interference, and informal justice systems. Additionally, regional instability and extremist ideologies further hinder progress in women’s rights.
NOTE:
This report’s data is sourced from Dr. Nazand Begikhani’s fact sheet “Achievements in Law, Policy and Practice in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.”
By Jawad Qadir