Erbil, Kurdistan Region – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) reported over 18,000 cases of domestic violence last year, with more than 14,000 instances referred to courts. Currently, 91 individuals are housed in shelters, according to Dindar Zebari, the Kurdistan Region’s Coordinator for International Advocacy.

Responding to a recent Amnesty International report, Zebari affirmed the KRG's effective mechanisms in addressing domestic violence to safeguard at-risk women. The region currently boasts five shelters for women under threat and one specifically for victims of human trafficking.

"Up to July 8, there were 49 reported cases in Erbil, including 38 Kurds and 11 foreigners; 26 cases in Sulaymaniyah, involving 21 Kurds and 5 foreigners; and 14 cases in Duhok, with 9 Kurds and 5 foreigners," Zebari stated.

In 2023, the KRG documented a total of 18,620 reported domestic violence cases. These included 1,733 court cases and 16,887 investigations. Zebari highlighted that 10,897 of these cases were resolved—1,071 in court and 9,826 through investigation. Additionally, 14,599 cases of violence against women were forwarded to court.

The Kurdistan Region hosts 29 offices of the Directorate for Combating Domestic Violence and 22 mobile teams in camps. Zebari emphasized the proactive role of the prosecutor general in pursuing cases of underage marriage, forced marriage, and temporary marriage, noting that 313 cases of underage marriage were under investigation in 2023 alone.

Amnesty International reported that 30 women were killed in the Kurdistan Region in 2023, following 40 deaths in 2022. However, local NGO workers suggest the actual numbers may be higher.