Speaker Rewas Faiq: Eliminating violence against women is our political, legal and moral duty
Kurdistan Parliament Speaker Dr Rewas Faiq on 25 November spoke at the launch of a 16-day campaign on combating violence against women, organised by the Kurdistan High Council of Women’s Affairs in Erbil.
In her speech Speaker Faiq said that the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women raises awareness in our society, and helps to ignite the political will and human resources needed to solve one of society’s gravest problems that is deeply connected to inequality between men and women.
Dr. Faiq said, “Putting all our capacities at the service of ending violence against women is a political, legal and moral duty for us all”.
The Speaker stated that despite the annual campaigns on eliminating violence against women in Kurdistan Region, unfortunately the number of women and girls who committed suicide is close to 1,000, an alarming number.
She said that it is our duty to question ourselves, to ask whether we have been able to respond to women’s needs.
Dr. Faiq stressed that it is the responsibility of all government institutions, NGOs, media channels and every individual to play their part in ending all types of violence, and to prepare a long-term national strategy.
The Speaker said that Parliament’s duty is to empower women’s institutions, especially the Kurdistan High Council of Women’s Affairs, just as other government institutions and boards are given authority by special legislation. Appropriate legislation is needed to define the High Council’s goals, powers and responsibilities. Law No. 8 of 2011 on Combating Domestic Violence in Kurdistan Region should be amended so that it better serves women’s needs, she said.
Dr. Faiq pointed to women’s participation in political and executive institutions. She said that laws can be amended to provide a quota for women in certain institutions, thereby strengthening their positions in government and politics, for example in the Law on Political Parties (amended Law No. 17 of 1993), the Kurdistan Association Law (No. 18 of 1992) and the Non-Governmental Organisations Law (No. 15 of 2001), and the laws on the Council of Ministers and on the independent boards.
On the crimes committed by ISIS against Yazidi women and girls in Shengal, Dr. Faiq said that they were targeted for their religion and gender. She urged the United Nations and international organizations to help rebuild the villages around Shengal so that people can return to their areas.
Speaker Faiq said that the Kurdistan Parliament must look at any gaps or shortcomings in Kurdistan Region’s laws that have been passed to combat and prevent violence against women.
