The Global Campaign Against Female Genital Mutilation Continues

A global campaign to eradicate female genital mutilation [FGM], often misnamed “female circumcision,” continues. While foreign NGOs have made Iraqi Kurdistan a center of the effort to do away with this practice, many observers have argued that it is not a “Kurdish” problem.

FGM is also not just a “Muslim” phenomenon. However widespread it may be among Iraqi Sunni Kurds, its acceptance in Islam is limited. According to the German relief organization WADI [The Association for Crisis Assistance and Development Co-operation], in the four provinces of Iraqi Kurdistan, only the farthest north, Dohuk, which borders on Turkey, shows little evidence of FGM at any age. Among the remaining three “governorates,” in the province of Erbil, named for the capital of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), 63% of women have undergone the atrocious custom; in Suleymaniya, 78%; and in Garmyan/New Kirkuk, the southernmost, 81%.

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The long road to the first « FGM-free villages » in Iraq

By Arvid Vormann

According to a large survey conducted in 2009, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is prevalent in all provinces of Kurdish Northern Iraq, except in the far northern Duhok region. More than 72% are affected, in villages and cities alike, among illiterates and, to a lesser extent, among academics. FGM is almost everywhere.

The area, heavily struck by Saddam’s genocidal poison gas attacks in the late 80s, by civil war in the 90s, and threatened by Saddam’s army and Islamic groups until 2003, is also marked by very high rates of honor killings, domestic violence, forced marriages and other gender-related crimes. Mobile health teams of the German-Iraqi relief organization Wadi first reported the existence of FGM in 2004. After the toppling of Saddam Hussein, time seemed to be ripe. The first few women started to talk about all the pain and agony caused by the physical and psychological consequences of the mutilations forced on them as little girls. Since then, democracy and freedom of the press, despite all their immense shortcomings in this autonomous region, have laid ground for a successful public campaign against FGM. “Stop FGM in Kurdistan” was a grass root initiative – something hitherto unheard of, as usually everything is controlled from above. The feedback was overwhelming. Human Rights Watch further promoted the cause.Nowadays

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FGM widespread in Iraq and Iran

Parvin Zabihi, a member of a women’s rights group based in Iran’s Kurdistan called the Committee Against Sexual Violence, has researched female circumcision in the Kurdish-populated areas in Iran.

“One of my friends carried out some research in a classroom at a school in the Piranshahr area. Out of the 40 students, 38 were local — and out of those 38, 36 had been circumcised. We came across many cases [of FGM] wherever we went to investigate,” Zabihi says.
[...] It is not clear why the practice is widespread among Iranian and Iraqi Kurds. In Iran, FGM cases are also reported in southern regions including in Khuzestan.

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Governor of Kirkuk supports StopFGM Campaign in Iraq

Today the Governor of Kirkuk, Dr. Najmiddin Karim, met with representatives of Pana to discuss the consequences of the research they have conducted together with Wadi in Kirkuk, finding that almost 40% of women in the governorate are victims of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

Dr. Karim promised to support any activities combatting this practice and promised to participate in a  scheduled press conference in June, when Pana and Wadi will present the final version of their research.

Although FGM is banned by law in the federal region of Iraqi-Kurdistan, it’s still legal in other parts if Iraq. Dr. Karim underlined also  the need of a legal ban of this practice throughout the whole country.

See also: محافظ كركوك يدعو الى حظر قانوني لختان الاناث

Iraqi Kurdistan an example

Human Rights Watch recently published a book about the global fight for Women’s Rights: The Unfinished Revolution.

One chapter  deals with Female Genital Mutilation and the attempts to ban this practice. Nadya Khalifa, who conducted a research about FGM in Kurdistan, writes about the StopFGMKurdistan campaign and the reactions of the authorities, which she considers a positive example for other countries too:

 The Kurdistan parliament’s adoption in June 2011 of a family violence bill, including two provisions on FGM, constituted another major milestone on the road to ending FGM. (…) For me , this was a deeply satisfying moment, as I recalled the harrowing testimonies of women and girls I interviewed in the course of my research.

What this teaches us is that FGM eradication efforts require a multifaced approach – one that works with numerous key actors at the same time, including victims, their families, religious leaders, health care professionals, teachers and community leaders. Debate and discussions are essential to encourage a community affirmation to stop the mutilation of girls. In every country where FGM exists, government authorities can follow the example of Iraqi Kurdistan and make a public commitment by sending out a clear message that this harmful practice has no place in their society.

Iraqi human rights committee calls to coordinate fight against female circumcision

A first positive reaction from Baghdad on Panas’s and Wadi’s report:

A member of the human rights committee in the Iraqi Council of Representatives today called on its Kurdish counterpart to coordinate together to fight against female circumcision, adding that awareness and education are the most important weapons to combat the practice.

MP Ashwaq al-Jaff of the Iraqi committee said: “Educating against this phenomenon is the responsibility of the human rights committee in Baghdad and Erbil in coordination with civil society organizations, cultural centers and media, as well as the important role of the family.

Jaff explained that his committee reviewed a report published yesterday by AKnews about female circumcision. (…)

AKnews published yesterday a report based on a study prepared by Sulaimaniyah-based German NGO Wadi e.V. and PANA, a local women’s rights organization in Kirkuk. Both organizations worked together to interview 1,212 women and girls, aged above 14 years, living in Kirkuk.

The study found that 38.2 percent of the sample had undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) in a region previously assumed to be free of the ancient custom.

به‌پێی‌ توێژینه‌وه‌یه‌ك: خه‌ته‌نه‌کردنی ژنان له‌ که‌رکوك به‌ربڵاوه‌

كه ‌وێنه‌یه‌كی‌ بۆ سایتی‌ ئاوێنه‌نیوز نێردراوه‌، رێکخراوی(وادی) له‌گه‌ڵ(سه نته‌ری‌ په‌نا) هه‌ستاون به ئه نجامدانی‌ توێژینه‌وه‌یه‌ک سه‌باره‌ت به‌ دیارده‌ی‌ خه‌ته‌نه‌كردن‌و شێواندنی کۆئه‌ندامی زاوزێی مێینه‌ (خه‌ته‌نه‌کردنی ژنان)، له‌ لێكۆڵینه‌وه‌كه‌دا چاوپێکه‌وتن  له‌گه‌ڵ 1212 ژن ئه‌نجامدراوه‌ له‌سه‌روو ته‌مه‌نی 14 ساڵه‌وه‌ له‌ که‌رکوك، تیایدا 61 پرسیارئاراسته ی‌ هه ریه‌كه له‌و ژنانه‌كراوه، دواتر ده‌ركه‌وتووه38.2%ی ژنانی كه‌ركوك له‌گه‌ڵ ‌ده‌ره‌نجامه‌كانی خه‌ته‌نه‌كردندا ده‌ژین.

له‌ راگه‌یه‌ندراوه‌كه‌دا هاتووه‌”به‌ر له‌ دوو ساڵ(وادی) توێژینه‌وه‌یه‌کی هاوشێوه‌ی ئه نجامداوه له‌ کوردستانی‌ عێراق‌دا ‌و ئه‌وه‌ی ده‌رخست که‌ به‌رزی رێژه‌که‌ ترسناکه‌و ده‌گاته‌ 72%، هاوکات چاودێری مافی مرۆڤ توێژینه‌وه‌یه‌کی بڵاو کرده‌وه‌ که‌ پشتگیریی و ته‌واوکاریی ئه‌نجامه‌کانی (وادی) بوو له‌و باره‌یه‌وه‌، پاش به‌گژداچوونه‌وه‌ی فراوان و هه‌وڵه‌کان فشاردروستكردنی چالاکوانه‌کان‌و گروپه‌کانی مافی ژنان”.

Female Genital Mutilation in Iraq – Study shows: FGM common in Kirkuk

For the first time, an empirical study proved that female genital mutilation is also prevalent in parts of Iraq beyond the borders of the Kurdish Region.

By Pana and Wadi

WADI and the local women’s rights organization PANA have conducted an in-depth research about the existence and background of female genital mutilation (FGM) in Kirkuk. They interviewed 1212 women above the age of 14 and asked each of them 61 questions.

Two years ago, WADI did a similar research in Kurdish Northern Iraq which revealed an alarmingly high prevalence rate of more than 72%. Around the same time, Human Rights Watch published a qualitative study which backs and complements WADI’s results. Meanwhile, after extensive protests and lobby efforts from activists and women’s rights groups (see notably the campaign STOP FGM in Kurdistan), the Regional Government has adopted a legal ban of FGM and other forms of violence against women and children.

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