ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Kurdistan Region leaders on Saturday reiterated their commitment to protecting and advancing women’s rights, lauding their important role in Kurdish history, on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani lauded the strength of Kurdistani women and their crucial role in shaping the Kurdish identity, stressing commitment to confronting all forms of violence and discrimination against women.

“It is a source of pleasure that today women in the Kurdistan Region have a significant and active role in the institutions of the Kurdistan Region and we are committed to providing more equal opportunities for women in Kurdistan and increasing their participation in various fields of management,” read a statement from the Kurdish premier.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani wished the women of Iraq and the Region further progress and success “in their efforts to achieve justice and equality,” reiterate his “full support for their continued influential role in building a freer, more just, and more progressive society.”

“It is a public responsibility to end violence against women, protect their rights, and provide an environment that ensures their equal participation in all spheres of life,” he added.

Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader and former Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani also extended his wishes for happiness and success to all women of Kurdistan.

“The women of Kurdistan exemplify sacrifice, perseverance, and dignity. It is our collective duty to respect their status, rights, and aspirations,” wrote the Kurdish leader.

The Kurdistan Region parliament passed the Combating Domestic Violence Law in 2011 and launched a support hotline for victims of violence seven years later. The hotline was contacted over 10,000 times in 2023, according to the Directorate of Combating Violence against Women (DCVAW).

A mobile application to tackle violence against women was launched in 2021.

Despite the legislated law and ongoing measures from authorities, the Kurdistan Region continues to suffer from high rates of gender-based violence, including domestic violence, sexual violence, and honor killings.

At least 30 women were killed by direct male family members in 2023, according to data from DCVAW, but the actual number is believed to be much higher. Cases of abuse against women are severely underreported in the Kurdistan Region, as publicizing such issues goes against the population’s conservative-majority mindset and risks damaging “family honor.”

In November, Kurdistan Region Interior Minister Reber Ahmed announced that Prime Minister Barzani has ordered the exclusion of femicide perpetrators from general amnesties.