Rajaa Hameed Rasheed
Iraq — The recent killing of lawyer and activist Hamsa Jassim in the city of Kut has caused an uproar, as it is not the first crime targeting women activists in Iraq. This tragedy has once again drawn attention to the ongoing violence against women amid the absence of deterrent laws.

Women’s rights defenders stressed that these crimes are the cumulative result of years of legislative neglect, impunity, and lack of protection mechanisms and accountability, which have made women in Iraq increasingly vulnerable to violence and murder — often at the hands of their own family or community members.

Absence of Law
Activist Nidal Touma attributed the rise in killings and violence in Iraq to the deteriorating economic, social, and security conditions in the country. She noted that the phenomenon of femicide has taken a dangerous and accelerating turn due to the failure of the Iraqi Parliament to pass the Domestic Violence Law, blocked by political agendas imposed by parties, leaving women as the primary victims of this negligence.

Touma emphasized that the phenomenon could have been curbed if a law preventing impunity had been enacted — a law long demanded by civil society organizations and activists inside and outside Iraq. She cited, for instance, the recent killing of Dr. Ban Tariq, whose case file was closed unexpectedly quickly.

She also referred to the killing of lawyer Hamsa Jassim, noting that there was no official statement from the security authorities in Wasit until several days later, when the Minister of Interior announced the formation of an investigative committee. “We are still waiting for the report,” she said, “but it’s likely it will never see the light, and if it does, it will probably be written according to their will.”

Touma pointed out that while society has not entirely failed to support women’s causes — particularly through the efforts of feminist organizations — these organizations lack real decision-making power due to pressure and smear campaigns against them. Nevertheless, groups such as the Iraqi Women’s League have continued to run awareness and education campaigns about women’s rights, demanding amendments to laws that legitimize violence against women.

She also highlighted the key challenges facing human rights organizations, including the government’s reliance on outdated laws such as the Iraqi Penal Code and the Civil Service Law, in addition to the marginalization of the judiciary following the ratification of amendments to the Personal Status Law known as the “Jaafari Law.” This law stripped judges and courts of their role, allowing tribal mindsets to dominate and deprive women of their rights — even their right to life.

Patriarchal and Tribal Mindset
Media activist Rafah Ali stated that the prevailing social norms play a major role in the increasing cases of violence and murder against women — both the publicized ones and those covered up in silence. She noted that Iraqi society is inherently patriarchal and tribal, which reinforces a culture of violence against women.

Ali explained that improving protection mechanisms must begin with enhancing legal awareness and enforcing laws related to cases where women are victims — whether they are professionals or simply exercising their right to free expression. She cited examples such as the killing of lawyer Hamsa Jassim in Kut and other women working in various fields, as well as domestic violence cases.

Regarding the role of civil society and human rights organizations, Ali said their main mission is to educate and raise awareness about the dangers women face, especially the harms caused by concealing acts of violence — which have broader repercussions on society as a whole. She stressed that women are an essential and integral part of life, and their protection must be prioritized.

As for the challenges facing these organizations, she mentioned limited legal authority, urging that specialized organizations be granted broader powers that would allow them to maintain direct communication with government and security agencies, and even with tribal leaders, in order to monitor cases and help prevent their recurrence.

Impunity
Activist Suhaila Abdul Hussein outlined the main reasons behind the recent increase in femicide cases in Iraq, pointing to factors such as persistent tribal customs that justify violence against women under labels like “honor killing” or “defending family honor.” She also cited weak enforcement of laws against domestic violence and the absence of a law specifically protecting women from gender-based violence.

She explained that the patriarchal social discourse grants men a discriminatory social authority that undermines women’s status and their ability to claim their rights. This is compounded by poor public awareness of women’s rights, the lack of education on values of equality and respect within families and society, and the culture of impunity, where perpetrators are rarely held accountable — encouraging more crimes.

Abdul Hussein called for urgent government action to prevent such crimes and protect women, stressing the need to pass a Domestic Violence Law with effective mechanisms for reporting, sheltering, and judicial accountability. She also urged the activation of law enforcement and judicial bodies to strictly punish offenders and prevent tribal settlements that erase legal rights.

She emphasized the necessity of creating safe shelters for women at risk of violence or murder, in addition to strengthening social and media education on equality and women’s rights, and combating hate speech against women. She also underlined the importance of training police officers and judges to handle cases of domestic and gender-based violence humanely, and of improving women’s economic and social conditions through empowerment programs and access to education and employment.

Furthermore, Abdul Hussein highlighted the vital role of civil society and human rights organizations in supporting victims of violence and their families by providing psychological and legal assistance, documenting crimes and violations to bring them to local and international attention, and organizing advocacy campaigns against gender-based violence and negative stereotypes about women. She stressed that advocacy and policy influence are key functions of these organizations to push the parliament and government toward enacting protective laws for women.

She also noted the major challenges faced by these organizations — including social and tribal pressures that prevent victims or their families from cooperating, lack of government support, insufficient funding for protection and awareness programs, security restrictions and threats targeting women’s rights activists, and difficulties in reaching victims in rural or remote areas due to prevailing customs and traditions. Additionally, the absence of an official, transparent database on femicide cases hinders documentation and follow-up efforts, compounded by discrimination within some official institutions, which obstructs effective coordination between organizations and government bodies.