To Whom It May Concern,
As is known, self-immolation has recently become more frequent among Iraqi Kurdish women. Self-immolation, or burning oneself to death, is rendered a common cause of suicidal death among women in northern Iraq. According to available sources including Al-Monitor, around five hundred Kurdish women die of self-immolation each year in Iraq. Since the early 1990s, several thousand Kurdish women have died of self-immolation. In 2015 alone, the Kurdistan Regional Government listed 125 deaths of women caused by self-burning to death. But the tendency of self-immolation has increased among young women especially within 14-30 years of age in recent years and suicidal attempts by self-immolation are mostly made by married and poorly educated women.
But the deaths of Kurdish women by setting themselves on fire have recently become a growing cause for concern. It is to note that Women mostly undergo self-immolation in Kurdistan because of domestic violence and abuse and several other causes. Gender based violence and discrimination are almost common in the northern part of Iraq, even though the region has progressed economically and socially in the last few years. Many women face different sorts of abusive behaviors including battering by the spouse and are deprived of important rights. Forced marriage also increases the chance of self-immolation, which is also rendered a protest against society for women’s suppression, among many women. Gender-based abuse among Kurdish women is because of the patriarchal and conservative culture of the region and several other causes.
It is notable that there are limited efforts to end self-immolation in Iraq. Efforts are mainly legal and aim to end gender-based violence. The Act of Combating Domestic Violence in Kurdistan-Iraq clearly prohibits many of the abuses women face including battering by the spouse, forced marriage and forced divorce. Also, a violent husband faces up to three years in prison and a fine of about $4,000. But there is an adequate implementation of legal measures. There is also a limited scope of counseling services for women who are frequently abused and traumatized by their partners or in-law family members. No less important is that there is a lack of programmatic initiatives to end gender-based violence and discourage self-immolation in the Northern Iraqi region.
It is desired that effective efforts are taken to end self-immolation among Kurdish women in Iraq. In this respect, more attention is needed from the responsible authorities and organizations concerned in the northern Iraqi region. Preventive measures need to be taken based on well-informed and effective plans to address the causes of self-immolation and prevent its occurrence. But legal measures need to be strengthened to prevent gender-based abuse. Increased counseling services to women in the region may be effective. Moreover, programmatic measures are needed to be taken and/or encouraged by the concerned ministries to reduce gender-based abuse and the chance of women’s self-immolation in the Northern region.
Amir M Sayem
Chief Editor
Dhaka Opinion Magazine
