Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Womens and civil rights groups battle for rights in Kurdistan's constitution
Politics
(AINA) - Women groups and civil rights organization are making a last-minute attempt to have their rights enshrined in the proposed constitution of the Kurdistan region in Iraq. Article 7 of the proposed constitution has been getting negative attention from rights groups. The article says "the fundamental tenets of Islamic Shari'a law will be considered as one of the major sources for legislation making," based on the premise that the majority of the Kurdish people are Muslims.
But rights groups say this clause constitutes an attack on the basic rights and liberties of the people in the region, especially women and non-Muslim minorities. April 1 was the deadline for submitting complaints and suggestions about the new constitution. "In our opinion this is a forced Islamization of the constitution as well as of the society in Kurdistan," said Houzan Mahmoud, the overseas representative of the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq.
Mahmoud, who is of Kurdish origin, is coordinating a campaign urging the removal of the article in question.
Under the proposed article, decisions on family matters such as divorce, child custody, polygamy and inheritance would be influenced by Islamic Shari'a law and would automatically favor men and discriminate against women, Mahmoud said.
While there is a desire for secularism in Kurdistan, the authors of the constitution and the political parties are giving in to the Islamists by adding this article, she said. The campaign is calling for both local and international involvement in changing this clause.
But rights groups say this clause constitutes an attack on the basic rights and liberties of the people in the region, especially women and non-Muslim minorities. April 1 was the deadline for submitting complaints and suggestions about the new constitution. "In our opinion this is a forced Islamization of the constitution as well as of the society in Kurdistan," said Houzan Mahmoud, the overseas representative of the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq.
Mahmoud, who is of Kurdish origin, is coordinating a campaign urging the removal of the article in question.
Under the proposed article, decisions on family matters such as divorce, child custody, polygamy and inheritance would be influenced by Islamic Shari'a law and would automatically favor men and discriminate against women, Mahmoud said.
While there is a desire for secularism in Kurdistan, the authors of the constitution and the political parties are giving in to the Islamists by adding this article, she said. The campaign is calling for both local and international involvement in changing this clause.
Labels: Article 7, civil rights organisations, constitution, Kurdistan, women groups
