KRG voices support of women rights, ending gender-based violence in Kurdistan

Mustafa Shilani 2021/02/10 19:35

Prime Minister Barzani during his visit to the General Directorate for Combatting Violence Against Women in Erbil, Feb. 10, 2021. (Photo: KRG)

Kurdistan gender-based violence Women's Rights

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani made an inspection of a government office on Wednesday, speaking about his administration’s zero-tolerance policy against all forms of gender-based violence.

Barzani visited the General Directorate for Combatting Violence Against Women (GDCVAW) in Erbil, according to a statement on the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) website.

While there, her outlined the importance of the 119 hotline (119) section, offered by the directorate’s Family Counseling Center, working 24 hours every day to help victims of domestic violence by answering questions and providing free counseling and legal advice.

During his visit, Barzani praised the role of the staff who he said “perform a noble duty” and reasserted that the KRG stands against all forms of gender-based violence and is working to eradicate it completely.

The statement also quoted Barzani as saying that “all citizens are equal before the law” and emphasized his active support of women’s rights.

The United Nations and the KRG launched the new hotline in September 2018 for victims of gender-based violence (GBV) in the Kurdistan Region, providing them an avenue to call for support services and to alert law enforcement of their situation.

Editing by John J. Catherine