How Do Femicide Rates in the Kurdistan Region Compare to Global Averages?
Based on the available data of reported femicide cases in the Kurdistan Region (2021-2023 data) and global averages derived from World Bank data (2021), here is how the Kurdistan Region compares to other regions.
This data solely encompasses femicide cases and does not include other forms of gender-based violence such as self-immolation which is defined as an intentional killing with a gender-related motivation.
The annual femicide rates in the Kurdistan Region, based on reported cases from the Combating Violence Against Women Directorate, are as follows:
2021: 45 cases, equating to 0.78 per 100,000 population
2022: 44 cases, amounting to 0.75 per 100,000 population
2023: 33 cases, corresponding to 0.55 per 100,000 population (2)
World Bank data of worldwide cases:
World average, 2020: 2 per 100,000
MENA, 2021: 1.3
Europe, 2021: 1.2
Latin America, 2021: 3.6
North America, 2021: 2.7
South Asia, 2021: 2.5
Methodology:
Although there are challenges surrounding data collection and questionable KRG governmental data overall, we have primarily relied on data from the Directorate of Combating Violence Against Women. However, we have also compared this data to open-source recorded cases and annual cases since 2012. The numbers fall within a reasonable range of known cases (for instance, the total recorded cases from 2012-2022 were 422, which is on average: 42.2 annual cases). For comparison with world average, we have taken the average of 2021, 2022, and 2023 figures, considering the KRG population as 5.8 million in 2021, 5.9 million in 2022, and 6 million in 2023. Regarding population data, there are discrepancies between the KRG and Iraqi government sources, so we have used a middle range between the two provided figures. However, we acknowledge these figures may not fully represent the scope of the issue, as instances of femicide can often go unreported or unrecognized.
While the Kurdistan Region's femicide rates are lower than the global average based on the available data, any loss of life due to gender-based violence is unacceptable. Efforts must continue to address the root causes of this scourge, including harmful gender norms and a lack of access to support services for victims.