A Good Sign in Iraqi Kurdistan

by Michael Rubin

A statement urging the Iraqi Kurdish government to take action against female genital mutilation (FGM) appears today in Awene, one of the region’s two independent papers. FGM, often encouraged by local Muslim authorities, is at epidemic proportions in the region, in some areas afflicting 60 percent of the female population. This petition marks perhaps the first time both in Iraqi Kurdistan and in Iraq as a whole that independent groups and civil society has stepped in publicly to demand action from a government which is dragging its feet. Now, if only this precedent sticks and ordinary people begin to petition the government on other difficult issues, including abuse by militias (including peshmerga) and corruption. More on the FGM campaign, here.

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	06.03.2007 \| National Review \| Michael Rubin A Good Sign in Iraqi Kurdistan by Michael Rubin A statement urging the Iraqi Kurdish government to take action against female genital mutilation (FGM) appears today in Awene, one of the region’s two independent papers. FGM, often encouraged by local Muslim authorities, is at epidemic proportions in the region, in some areas afflicting 60 percent of the female population. This petition marks perhaps the first time both in Iraqi Kurdistan and in Iraq as a whole that independent groups and civil society has stepped in publicly to demand action from a government which is dragging its feet. Now, if only this precedent sticks and ordinary people begin to petition the government on other difficult issues, including abuse by militias (including peshmerga) and corruption. More on the FGM campaign, here. © National Review Online, 06.03.2007 WADI e.V. \| tel.: (+49) 069-57002440 \| fax (+49) 069-57002444 http://www.wadinet.de \| e-mail: