Join the international campaign against the civil law of Kurdistan, Iraq
The Kurdistan parliament in Iraq has recently passed the Civil Law of Kurdistan, despite the protests and objections of many activists and secularists. The recently-passed Civil Law establishes the enslavement and inferiority of women. It makes gender discrimination legal. The new law encourages men to marry more than one wife whilst imposing a male ‘guardian' on women; it promotes the practice of trading women for money at marriage, and maintains the inferiority of women in cases of inheritance, in addition to other discriminatory rules derived from Sharia law. The acceptance of this reactionary law by ruling nationalist-Islamist forces dominating the parliament is a stark violation of women's rights. It is a continuation of the past 17 years track-record of these forces, which has resulted in violations of women's rights, the promotion of religious and tribal practices and values, and the heinous crimes of ‘honour killings.' We believe that humanitarian forces can and must fight this discriminatory law and get rid of it.
We, therefore, announce the launch of our international campaign against the Civil Law in Kurdistan - Iraq which demands the immediate abolition of the Civil Law, passed by the parliament of Kurdistan and firmly opposes all forms of slavery and sexual discrimination against women. It also calls for the prohibition of any form of interference of Sharia or any religious laws in the family or public life, and the complete separation of religion from the state. The Campaign aims to propose an alternative secular Civil Law which is based on the principals of full equality between women and men and the most contemporary standards. This secular civil law prohibits polygamy, trading of or dowry for the bride or any such practices in marriage, any form of pressure and coercion whether by an individual or party on the woman in her right to choose a partner or spouse, and decide about their mutual life, and any restrictions on women's equal right to proceed with separation or divorce.
We call upon all egalitarians and secularists, all groups or individuals who believe in gender equality, whether in Kurdistan , Iraq , or around the world, to endorse this campaign by adding their support to our campaign.
For further information or to add your name as a signatory to this important campaign, please contact: