Sulaymaniyah — Participants in the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign in Sulaymaniyah agreed that violence is not limited to a specific period but is a phenomenon extending over the years, manifesting in psychological, physical, and sexual forms, alongside rising online violence.

The Coordination Group for Combating Violence Against Women in Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region, announced today, Tuesday, November 25, the launch of its activities within the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign. The group organized a special program for this occasion as part of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, with the participation of women activists, civil society organization representatives, and local officials.

The program included the distribution of awareness leaflets directed at women, in addition to displaying an artwork created by women from shelters in Sulaymaniyah, through which they expressed their experiences and struggles with violence.

Arzo Ghafoor, representative of the Coordination Group for Combating Violence, delivered a speech during the event, emphasizing that: "With the launch of the campaign against violence toward women, we in the Coordination Group reaffirm our commitment to joint work to end digital violence and to seriously seek practical solutions to overcome this difficult situation."

She highlighted that political transformations in the last century contributed to the escalation of violence, and despite current political and health challenges, personal status laws have been amended in a way that reverted Iraq’s reality to something resembling the 1950s, which has contributed to increased violence and displacement of women. She stressed the need for fieldwork while continuing to raise awareness about the digital threats facing women: "The entire community must unite to end and confront violence collectively."

Meanwhile, Raz Ferya, spokesperson for the Family Violence Directorate in Sulaymaniyah, confirmed that the directorate will continue its struggle against all forms of violence, relying on the voices of activists and human rights defenders. She added that the primary goal is to protect families and ensure their rights free from violence: "We always strive to combat violence against women."

The spokesperson noted that confronting violence is not limited to the 16-day campaign but is an ongoing phenomenon that has persisted for many years. She affirmed that people now recognize the existence of a specialized administration for combating violence and that there is constant readiness to confront it.

She pointed out that psychological, physical, and sexual forms of violence still persist, while online violence is increasing significantly. She noted that women are referred to the Ministry of Interior, which determines the timing for publishing statistics related to homicide and violence cases.