Country: Iraq

Group: Faili Kurds

Date Finalized: November 1, 2021

Team: Mason McNeel (lead), Natasha Chandra, Jocelyn Chen, Ash Pessaran, and Zaida Arellano Reyes

There are an estimated 1.5 million Faili Kurds in Iraq. They reside mainly in Baghdad and on the Iran-Iraq border. Unlike most Kurdish who practice Sunni Islam, the majority of Faili Kurds practice Shi’a Islam (Minority Rights Group, 2017).

During Saddam Hussein’s rule of Iraq, the Iraqi government subjected the Faili Kurds to internationally recognized violations of human rights, including political imprisonment, executions, and torture–techniques of which included rape (Human Rights Watch, 2002). Beggining in 2003 and continuing to this day, ISIS and other extremist Islamic militant groups have demanded forced conversion of the Faili Kurds with the threat of sexual assault to those that do not comply. Even though it is widely known that groups like ISIS have weaponized sexual assault to victimize ethnic minorities, the prevalence of sexual assault is poorly documented among the Faili Kurd community (Ireland: Refugee Documentation Centre, 2010; UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), 2017; Human Rights Watch, 1993). Many communities in Iraq, including Faili Kurds, stigmatize survivors of sexual assault, making it difficult for women that report sexual assault to reintegrated into their communities (Minority Rights Group International, 2015; Human Rights Watch, 1993). Furthermore, the Faili Kurd communities have a deep rooted belief in chastity and honor, and they believe exposure to sexual assault destroys the chasity of an individual. It is generally accepted in Iraqi society that honor can be restored within a family or community by killing an individual with broken chastity (United Kingdom: Home Office, 2009). Thus the social structure of the Faili Kurds strongly motivates women to withhold experiences of sexual assault. Only about 2.8% of women in Iraq feel comfortable reporting sexual assault (Minority Rights Group International, 2015).

Although the international relief community has thoroughly documented the occurrence of sexual assault in Iraq, very few sources specifically mention the Faili Kurds (Ireland: Refugee Documentation Centre, 2010; UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), 2017; Human Rights Watch, 1993). Based on the experiences of the other minority ethnic groups in Iraq it is reasonable to suspect that ISIS and other extremist groups have exposed the Faili Kurd people to weaponized sexual assault. Data for this case is rated as a 2/3; specific instances of sexual assault occuring to Faili Kurds are difficult to find, but comprehensive information is available that details the typical experiences of women in Iraq regardless of ethnic group.

Sources

  1. Human Rights Watch (2002). Justice for Iraq. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/legacy/backgrounder/mena/iraq1217bg.htm
  2. Human Rights Watch. (1993). Genocide in Iraq: The Anfal Campaign Against the Kurds. Accessed 1 November 2021. Retrieved from https://www.refworld.org/docid/47fdfb1d0.html
  3. Ireland: Refugee Documentation Centre. (2010). Iraq: Information on the current situation for members of ethnic minority groups in Iraq. Refworld. Retrieved from https://www.refworld.org/docid/4b66bf142.html
  4. Minority Rights Group International. (2015). 14,000 Women Killed So Far In Iraq Conflict, Thousands More Abducted: New Research. Refworld. Retrieved from https://www.refworld.org/docid/556eaa1f4.html
  5. Minority Rights Group. (2017). Faili Kurds. Minority Rights Group. Accessed 24 October 2021. Retrieved from https://minorityrights.org/minorities/faili-kurds/
  6. UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). (2017). Promotion and Protection of Rights of Victims of Sexual Violence Captured by ISIL/or in Areas Controlled by ISIL in Iraq. Accessed 1 November 2021. Retrieved from https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b67bf04.html
  7. United Kingdom: Home Office. (2009), Country of Origin Information Report – Iraq. Retrieved from https://www.refworld.org/docid/4a5dd1ff2.html