Shafaq News/ On Saturday, women from various regions of Iraq participated in a conference on Iraqi women and their challenges in Al-Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan.
Hiwo Omar, a preparatory committee member, told Shafaq News Agency that "the conference was held in Al-Sulaymaniyah by the Iraqi Women's League-UK branch, under the slogan: The reality of Iraqi women between violence and legal challenges "
Omar added that the two-day conference will discuss the reality of Iraqi women in various Iraqi regions, the differences in manifestations of violence, and the application of laws in those areas.
"Violence against women represents one of the most essential challenges to empower women in Iraq due to the lack of awareness and deep understanding of the root factors and causes among women, decision-makers, and policy-makers in combating violence against them," Omar noted.
Omar considered that the continuation of wars, the spread of terrorism and extremism, and the predominance of tribal customs over the legal system have contributed to the rise in levels of physical and sexual violence, as well as the emergence of harmful practices based on discrimination and inequality, which have been reinforced and intertwined with social and cultural heritage.
"All these factors hinder reporting cases of violence and prosecuting perpetrators, despite the Iraqi Constitution's guarantee of preventing all forms of violence and abuse in the family and society."
Notably, the first-of-its-kind in al-Sulaymaniyah, the conference will host several decision-makers and many women activists.