Every Political Refugee Has the Right to Live in Safety
The Justice for Ghazal Campaign issues this urgent appeal to the United Nations (UNHCR, OHCHR, Human Rights Council), the European Union, the Government of Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), international trade unions, and human rights organisations worldwide.
THE CRISIS
Hundreds of Iranian political refugees in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq are in imminent danger. Fleeing systematic persecution, torture, and the threat of execution in Iran, they now face an environment of growing insecurity. The Islamic Republic of Iran has intensified pressure on the KRG to remove or hand over these individuals. Any forced return (refoulement) would expose them to arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and execution.
VULNERABILITY & THE LEGACY OF GHAZAL
We refuse to witness another tragedy like Ghazal’s. A 16-year-old member of an Iranian Kurdish opposition movement, Ghazal died after being denied timely medical care in an atmosphere shaped by political fear. Today, women, young people, and families face the greatest risks, enduring poverty, discrimination, and social hostility.
OUR URGENT DEMANDS:
1. Stop Deportations: Prevent any extradition or forced return to Iran.
2. Guarantee Safety: Ensure the immediate protection of all refugees in the KRI.
3. Emergency Resettlement: Call on UNHCR to establish an emergency pathway for those at immediate risk.
4. Protect the Vulnerable: Provide immediate support for women and children.
5. International Monitoring: Deploy independent human rights monitoring mechanisms.
6. Public Guarantee: Demand the KRG publicly commit to the principle of non-refoulement.
JOIN THE CAMPAIGN
We invite trade unions, political parties, and people of conscience to endorse this appeal. Support us by signing, sharing, and contacting your governments.
Join us today. Tomorrow may be too late.
Justice for Ghazal Campaign
05July 2026
فراخوان فوری بینالمللی: پیش از آنکه دیر شود، جان انسانها را نجات دهید
حمایت از پناهندگان سیاسی ایرانی در اقلیم کردستان عراق
هر پناهنده سیاسی حق دارد در امنیت و کرامت زندگی کند
کارزار “عدالت برای غزال” با انتشار این فراخوان فوری، از سازمان ملل متحد (کمیساریای عالی پناهندگان، دفتر کمیسر عالی حقوق بشر و شورای حقوق بشر)، اتحادیه اروپا، دولت عراق، دولت اقلیم کردستان عراق، اتحادیههای کارگری بینالمللی و سازمانهای حقوق بشری سراسر جهان درخواست میکند برای حفاظت از جان پناهندگان سیاسی ایرانی، اقدامات فوری و مؤثر انجام دهند.
بحران
صدها تن از پناهندگان سیاسی ایرانی که در اقلیم کردستان عراق زندگی میکنند، در معرض خطری جدی و قریبالوقوع قرار دارند. این افراد برای رهایی از سرکوب سازمانیافته، شکنجه و خطر اعدام، ناچار به ترک ایران شدهاند، اما اکنون نیز با شرایطی روزافزون از ناامنی و بیثباتی روبهرو هستند.
جمهوری اسلامی ایران فشارهای خود بر دولت اقلیم کردستان را برای اخراج یا تحویل این پناهندگان افزایش داده است. هرگونه بازگرداندن اجباری آنان به ایران، آنان را در معرض بازداشت خودسرانه، ناپدیدسازی قهری و حتی اعدام قرار خواهد داد.
آسیبپذیری پناهندگان و یاد غزال
ما اجازه نخواهیم داد تراژدی دیگری همچون آنچه برای غزال رخ داد، تکرار شود.
غزال، دختر ۱۶ ساله و از اعضای یکی از جریانهای مخالف کُرد ایرانی، در فضایی آکنده از هراس سیاسی و پس از محروم ماندن از دسترسی به خدمات درمانی بهموقع، جان خود را از دست داد.
امروز نیز زنان، نوجوانان، جوانان و خانوادههای پناهنده بیش از همه در معرض خطر قرار دارند؛ افرادی که همزمان با فقر، تبعیض، ناامنی و فشارهای اجتماعی دستوپنجه نرم میکنند.
خواستههای فوری ما
۱. توقف فوری اخراج و استرداد پناهندگان: از هرگونه بازگرداندن اجباری یا تحویل پناهندگان به ایران جلوگیری شود.
۲. تضمین امنیت پناهندگان: امنیت و حفاظت فوری تمامی پناهندگان سیاسی در اقلیم کردستان عراق تأمین شود.
۳. ایجاد سازوکار اسکان اضطراری: از کمیساریای عالی پناهندگان سازمان ملل خواسته میشود برای افرادی که با خطر فوری روبهرو هستند، مسیر ویژه و اضطراری اسکان مجدد فراهم کند.
۴. حمایت از گروههای آسیبپذیر: زنان، کودکان و سایر افراد آسیبپذیر باید بیدرنگ از حمایتهای لازم برخوردار شوند.
۵. نظارت مستقل بینالمللی: سازوکارهای مستقل نظارت بر وضعیت حقوق بشر در منطقه مستقر شوند.
۶. تعهد علنی به اصل منع بازگرداندن اجباری (Non-Refoulement): دولت اقلیم کردستان عراق بهصورت رسمی و علنی پایبندی خود را به اصل منع بازگرداندن اجباری پناهندگان اعلام و تضمین کند.
به این کارزار بپیوندید
از اتحادیههای کارگری، احزاب سیاسی، نهادهای مدنی و همه انسانهای مسئول و آزاده دعوت میکنیم از این فراخوان حمایت کنند.
با امضای این بیانیه، انتشار آن و مطالبهگری از دولتها و نهادهای مسئول، میتوانید در حفاظت از جان انسانهایی که در معرض خطر هستند، نقش مؤثری ایفا کنید.
همین امروز همراه ما شوید؛ شاید فردا برای نجات جان آنان دیر باشد.
کارزار «عدالت برای غزال»
۴ ژوئیه ۲۰۲۶
*
In June 2026, the European Union moved forward with the implementation of the “New Pact on Migration and Asylum.” This pact, presented under the guise of reforming the asylum system, aims to accelerate the processing of asylum applications, strengthen external border controls, prevent “illegal” migration, and combat human trafficking networks.
The International Federation of Iraqi Refugees (IFIR) views these developments with deep concern. We believe these policies are not merely administrative or legal adjustments; they represent a fundamental and devastating shift that strikes at the very heart of the lives, rights, freedoms, and futures of thousands of refugees fleeing war, instability, and political, economic, and social injustice.
We believe these new policies harbour several critical risks:
First: Accelerated Decision-Making on Asylum Cases
Under this system, asylum applications are processed and decided upon with extreme haste. This occurs while many refugees lack adequate access to legal counsel, qualified translators, or the time needed to gather necessary evidence and documentation. In such a climate, a minor error or a lack of documentation can lead to the immediate rejection of a claim, deciding a human being’s fate without the benefit of full justice.
Second: Indirect Detention and Imprisonment of Refugees
According to the new measures, refugees can be detained at border zones or in specialized centres, forced to remain in closed facilities for extended periods. In terms of living conditions and the restriction of movement, these centres often function as prisons. This treatment inflicts severe psychological and social trauma on refugees, fostering fear, distress, and despair—all of which directly contradict the protections intended by international laws and conventions.
Third: The Risk of Forced Returns (Refoulement)
These policies pave the way for the rapid deportation of refugees whose claims have been rejected. In many instances, the countries to which refugees are being returned are still plagued by war, instability, violence, political threats, or systematic human rights violations. Consequently, this policy places the lives of many at grave risk.
Fourth: Restriction of Legal Rights
Under the new system, access to judicial review and the right to appeal decisions are further restricted. In many cases, refugees are granted only a single opportunity to appeal, while access to legal aid is significantly reduced. This undermines the principle of justice and strips refugees of their right to a fair defence.
Fifth: Specific Impacts on Women, Children, and Families
Women, children, and families are among the primary victims of these policies. Confinement in closed centres, the disruption of education, and the constant state of anxiety and instability have a devastating impact on the mental health and developmental growth of children.
Sixth: Deportation to Third Countries
Based on certain proposals, refugees can be sent to “safe” third countries, even if they have no direct connection to them. This poses a massive threat, as legal and social protections in such countries are often weak, leaving the future of refugees in total uncertainty.
Demands of the Federation and the Front for the Protection of Refugee Rights
The International Federation of Iraqi Refugees stands firmly against any policy or law that restricts the rights and human dignity of refugees. We demand:
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Full protection of the right to asylum in accordance with international laws and treaties.
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An immediate end to arbitrary detention and the unnecessary withholding of refugees.
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The establishment of a fair, transparent, and humane asylum processing system.
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The provision of specialized protection for women, children, and families.
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The creation of safe and legal routes for seeking asylum and humanitarian relocation.
The Call
The International Federation of Iraqi Refugees calls upon all human rights organizations, refugee advocacy groups, labour unions, activists, civil society organizations, and all progressive forces to form a united front across Europe. We must stand together to defend refugee rights and confront these unjust anti-refugee policies. We believe that protecting human dignity and the rights of refugees is not solely the responsibility of the refugees themselves, but the shared duty of the entire civilized and humanitarian front.
Under these policies, a refugee does not only risk losing their rights; they risk losing their freedom, their security, and their entire future.
International Federation of Iraqi Refugees (IFIR)
25 June, 2026
Issued by the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees (IFIR)
On June 20, World Refugee Day, the IFIR stands with the millions worldwide protesting the rising tide of racism and fascism. While labour unions and human rights activists demand justice, many governments are moving in the opposite direction -institutionalizing exclusion and criminalizing the vulnerable.
The Shift Toward State Fascism in Europe
Racism is no longer just a fringe movement; it is being woven into official state policy.
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Sweden: Once a symbol of human rights, it is now dismantling legal protections, restricting family reunification, and creating a hostile environment for those fleeing war.
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The United Kingdom: Through the “Illegal Migration Act” and forced deportation plans, the UK is leading a race to the bottom, stripping refugees of basic rights and violating international obligations.
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Germany: Under right-wing pressure, Germany has shifted toward accelerated deportations and expanded detention powers, treating refugees as a political “problem” rather than human beings with dignity.
These policies do not protect citizens; they provide the legal framework for fascist movements to thrive.
Root Causes: Global War and Capitalist Crisis
The refugee crisis is the direct result of geopolitical rivalries. The power struggles between the USA, China, and Russia have destabilized entire regions, forcing millions to choose between displacement or death.
Refugees as Scapegoats
While the ruling class and military powers reap the profits of war, ordinary people pay the price through economic collapse and inflation. To distract from the failures of the capitalist system, the bourgeoisie uses refugees as scapegoats. By labeling refugees as a “burden” or “threat,” they attempt to:
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Divide the working class.
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Divert public anger away from systemic corruption and inequality.
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Erode the social achievements and rights won by workers through decades of struggle.
Our Call to Action
We call for a global struggle for an equal and free society. We must reject nationalist and chauvinistic ideologies that divide us. Refugees are not a “burden” – they are part of the global working class and survivors of the very wars and exploitation that the ruling elite promote.
Our Demands:
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No to Fascism: Whether it marches in the streets or hides behind “border control” laws.
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Equality Now: Refugees and immigrants must be treated as equal citizens with full social and legal rights.
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Stop Deportations: End all forced removals and the criminalization of migration.
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No to Artificial Borders: Human lives must take precedence over political boundaries.
The struggle for refugee rights is the struggle for human dignity. Our unity is stronger than their hatred.
International Federation of Iraqi Refugees (IFIR)
19 June, 2026
29 May2026 PRESS RELEASE – For Immediate Release
The International Federation of Iraqi Refugees (IFIR) is issuing an urgent warning following the detention of eight Iraqi refugees in Hanover airport, Germany who now face imminent deportation to Iraq. They have been told they will be returned to Iraq on Tuesday 2 June.
IFIR stresses that Iraq remains unsafe for forced returns. Armed groups, militias, and extremist organisations continue to operate with impunity across the country, while state protection remains weak and inconsistent. Deporting individuals to Iraq places them at serious and foreseeable risk of persecution, violence, and instability.
The individuals currently detained in Germany include long-term residents who have rebuilt their lives, integrated into their communities, and contributed to German society. Several fled Iraq after receiving threats linked to family connections, political activity, or perceived opposition to armed and extremist groups. Their cases reflect the broader dangers faced by many Iraqi returnees.
Iraq Remains Unsafe for Deportations
The political and security situation in Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region, remains deeply unstable. Militia activity, political fragmentation, corruption, restrictions on freedom of expression, and weak civilian protections continue to endanger vulnerable people.
Women and girls continue to face widespread violations of their rights, while workers, activists, and critics of political authorities are frequently subjected to intimidation and repression. In these conditions, forcibly returning asylum seekers places them at immediate and unacceptable risk.
IFIR Calls on the German Authorities To:
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Immediately suspend all planned deportations to Iraq.
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Reassess the asylum claims of the eight detained individuals in light of the current security and political situation.
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Guarantee access to legal representation and the opportunity to submit updated evidence.
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End cooperation agreements that facilitate the forced return of Iraqi asylum seekers who have established their lives in Germany.
Statement from Dashty Jamal, Secretary of IFIR
“Iraq is not a safe country. Armed groups continue to threaten civilians, and the political and security situation remains deeply unstable. Deporting people to Iraq (especially those who have rebuilt their lives in Europe) exposes them to serious and preventable harm. IFIR calls on the German authorities to halt these deportations immediately and suspend the shameful agreement between the Iraqi and German authorities that enables the forced return of Iraqi refugees. Human lives should never be treated as political bargaining tools.”
End
We Don’t Want Your War, We Want Life!
Statement of the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees on International Workers’ Day
May 1st is the day of international unity and solidarity for the working class. It calls upon workers worldwide to stand together transcending artificial religious and national identities against the oppressive capitalist system and the barbarism imposed upon human society.
A World in Crisis
This year, we approach May Day amidst severe political and economic instability. Imperialist powers and capitalist authorities are engaged in an unprecedented race to re-divide the world for profit. From Gaza to Ukraine, and from Sudan to Yemen, ordinary people pay the price for conflicts they did not choose. Homes are destroyed, families are uprooted, and entire communities are displaced, while arms companies and political elite’s flourish. Capitalism has declared that if the world is not an area for its profit, it is prepared to engulf the globe in ruin.
The Price of Militarism
Across the globe, the rise of fascism and right-wing movements have fuelled anti-refugee sentiment and policies of exclusion. While governments spend trillions on rearmament and the militarization of society, the working class faces austerity, inflation, and the erosion of fundamental rights. The “war economy” prioritizes profit over humanity, driving up the cost of food, energy, and medicine while restricting the right to protest.
Unity Against Destruction
The ongoing genocide in Palestine and the expansion of conflict across the Middle East reveal the brutal logic of this system. However, May Day reminds us of a truth more powerful than any army: worker power is global. When we act collectively, we are unstoppable.
The Refugee Voice
Refugees, as part of the working class, pay a heavy price for these wars through displacement, unemployment, and the threats of racism. We, the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees, stand with the humanitarian front to end war. War is the root cause of homelessness and ruin; it shatters the psychology of our children and must be stopped.
We say: No to war, no to capitalist crimes, and no to the displacement of people. This May Day, let us begin a powerful mass movement to dismantle this exploitative system and achieve a world that is free, equal, and prosperous.
Long live May Day!
No to war and militarism! No to displacement!
Workers of the world, unite!
Justice Must Be Served: End Discriminatory Medical Practices and Protect the Fundamental Right to Life
Ghazal Mawlan, a 20-year-old woman and a member of the Kurdish organisation of Iran, was critically injured on April 14 following drone attacks carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran targeting a refugee camp in Soordash in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Despite her urgent and life-threatening condition, she was transferred between multiple hospitals in Sulaymaniyah and was systematically denied medical treatment due to her political identity and discriminatory legal and administrative barriers.
Bakhshin Hospital, fully equipped to provide the necessary care, explicitly refused treatment on political grounds, citing lack of authorisation from local police under the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), as well as policies prohibiting the admission of Iranian nationals or individuals affiliated with Peshmerga forces. This refusal constitutes a deliberate denial of life-saving care.
We, as women’s organisations and human rights activists, unequivocally condemn this act as a grave violation of international human rights law and medical ethics. We hold the Kurdistan Regional Government responsible for enforcing discriminatory and unlawful policies that directly contributed to the death of Ghazal Mawlan. These policies institutionalise medical discrimination and transform healthcare providers into agents of political exclusion, in clear breach of their legal and ethical obligations.
We further assert that the denial of treatment in this case constitutes a violation of the fundamental right to life, as protected under international human rights frameworks, and breaches core principles of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions, which mandate the non-discriminatory treatment of the wounded and sick under all circumstances.
Medical professionals and institutions are bound by the Hippocratic Oath and universally recognised ethical standards to provide care impartially and without discrimination. The actions of Bakhshin Hospital and any other involved institutions represent a serious dereliction of duty and a violation of medical neutrality. The refusal to treat a patient on political grounds is not only unethical, it may amount to criminal conduct.
We therefore call for immediate, independent, and transparent investigations into the role of Bakhshin Hospital, its administrative authorities, and all relevant officials. We demand that those responsible be held fully accountable through appropriate legal mechanisms. This includes potential disciplinary actions, suspension or revocation of medical licenses, and, where applicable, civil and criminal prosecution under both domestic and international legal standards.
Accountability in this case is essential not only for justice for Ghazal Mowlan, but also to send a clear and unequivocal message: discrimination in medical care will not be tolerated, and violations of human dignity and medical neutrality will carry consequences.
Finally, we call on all human rights defenders, women’s rights movements, civil society actors, and people of conscience worldwide to take action. Raise your voices. Demand accountability. Pressure the Kurdistan Regional Government to repeal all discriminatory laws and practices that restrict access to medical care based on nationality, political identity, or affiliation.
Healthcare is not a privilege to be granted or withheld based on politics, it is a fundamental human right. The use of medical systems as instruments of political control is unlawful, unethical, and indefensible under any circumstances.
Please add the name and organization to the list:
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Helaleh Taheri, Founder of Middle Eastern Women and Society Organisation(MEWSO)-The UK
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Dashty Jamal, Secretary of the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees (IFIR)- The UK
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Bahar Munzir, Board Member of the Independent Women’s Organisation (IWO)-Iraq/Kurdistan
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Sawsan Salim, Director of Kurdish and Middle Eastern Women’s Rights (KMEWO)- The UK
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Saeed Arman, Secretary of the International Federation of Iranian Refugees (BIMARZ) -The UK
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Abdulkarim Abdulsada Omran (Abu Watan), President of the General Federation of Workers’ Unions in Iraq & President of the General Energy Union- Iraq
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Dabin Organisation for Democracy Development and Human Rights-Iraqi Kurdistan
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The March 8 Network- (Composed of 30 organisations, Journalists, academics established 2022, to advocate for women’s rights and struggle for equality between women and men in Kurdistan)
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Alience for Workers Liberty -The UK
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Azar Majedi, Spoke Woman of Women Liberation Organisation (WLO) Iran
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Lisa Marie, Co-founder & CEO, FILIA- Amplifying the Voices of Women
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Pragna Patel, Co-Director, Project Resist- The UK
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Mercedeh Ghaedi, Board member of No To Execution in Iran
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Solayman Ghasemiani, Chair Man-Working class Art and Literacy-Hana magazine-Sweden
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Movement For Justice By Means Necessary- The UK
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Maryam Namzi, Spoke Woman of One Law for All-The UK
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Rebwar Aref, head of the congress of Freedom and Change- Kurdistan/Iraq
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Vicki Morris, UNISON Trade Union activist (personal capacity)
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Freedom for Sustainable Development in Kurdistan- Kurdistan/Iraq
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Halala Rafi, International Committee for Women’s Rights & Women’s Shelter Nina-Sweden
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Kurdistan Justice Seekers – Iraqi Kurdistan
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Sara Mohamd, Chair Woman for Never Forget Pela & Fadima- Sweden
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Mohammad Alloush, Secretary-General of the Palestinian Workers’ Struggle Union-Palestine
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Dian Nami, Executive Director of Kurdish & Iranian Women organisation-IKWRO
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Karen Johnson female activist anti migrant campaigner and Trade Union member of ‘PCS’ and ‘No Sweat’
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Association of the Injured and Justice Seekers of the Zhina Uprising
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Organisation of the Voice of Eastern Kurdistan- Kurdistan/Iran
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United Voice Institution- Iran
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Sheila Bidlecomb Animal Rights campaigner Dorset and Unison trade union activist in a personal capacity
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Samad Almasi, Solidarity with Iranian people Struggle – London-he UK
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Woman – Life – Freedom Unity Organisation-Iran
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Human Rights Activists Organisation-Iran
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Azizeh Lotfi, Board member of the Kurdistan Women’s Union- Kurdistan/Iran
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Abi Asadi, The secretary of International Federation of Iranian Refuge- Sweden
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Sahra Bahar, Member of Justic for Prisoners in Iran, Against Execution-Iran
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Kurdish Women Project-London (KWP)
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Zahra Tekin, Iranian Community Network (Oxford)- The UK
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Sedika Mohammadi, Association for the Struggle for the Liberation of Iranian Women-Sweden
The US–Israeli war against Iran has destroyed peace for the whole world and the working class. Thousands of people have been killed or injured, and thousands more have been forced to flee their homes. This war has damaged schools, hospitals, and the economy. The violence has spread across the Middle East, targeting civilians and even hitting refugee camps in Iraqi Kurdistan. We must act now to stop this war before Iran is destroyed like Gaza.
This is not a war for “freedom.” It is a war to protect U.S. power. The United States is facing a deep economic crisis and is losing its influence around the world. By starting this war, the U.S. is trying to stop the rise of rivals like China and Russia. The U.S. has failed in Iraq and Afghanistan, and now it is trying to use the Middle East to create a “new world order” that serves its own interests.
The U.S. and Israel claim they want to save the Iranian people from their government. This is a weak excuse. The working class and the people of Iran have been fighting the Islamic Republic for over 47 years. Movements like “Women, Life, Freedom” show that Iranians are already fighting for their own change.
For decades, U.S. policies have made life a “hell” for Iranians. These policies have helped the ruling class while the common people suffered from poverty and repression.
This war is a blow to the protest movement inside Iran. When bombs fall, people have to focus on surviving and protecting their families instead of protesting. War gives the Iranian leaders an excuse to use more violence and silence those who disagree with them.
Those who hope to gain power through U.S. and Israeli missiles are not helping the revolutionary aims of the Iranian people. They are acting as mercenaries. They are willing to risk the same deadly results we saw in Iraq, Syria, and Libya.
The U.S. and Israel might be able to overthrow a government through bombing, but they cannot bring peace or success. Just like in Iraq, they may win a military battle but fail to achieve anything better.
The Islamic Republic must be overthrown from the inside by the working class, the poor, and the revolutionary forces of the people of Iran. Only the people of Iran can build a future based on rights, freedom, and dignity.
We the International Federation of Iraq (IFIR):
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Call this a “reactionary war” because its only goal is to protect the power of the elite. It brings nothing but death and insecurity to the working class.
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Call on trade unions, refugee organisations, and women’s rights groups to raise their voices, organise actions, and pressure governments to stop this violence
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Demand an immediate end to all American and Israeli attacks. Stand against any imposed government in Iran and support the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom and equality.
International Federation of Iraqi Refugees-IFIR
20/03/2026
Assassination of Yanar Mohammed: A Profound Loss for Women’s Freedom and Justice
Yanar Mohammed a female campaigner for women’s equality has been assassinated in Baghdad Today at 9:AM (2 March 2026) Iraqi time.
Comrade Yanar Mohammed was taken from us too early, leaving behind shocked and grieving friends and comrades.
Yanar Mohammed, the president of the organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq(OWFI) and a member of the central committee of the Communist Alternative Organisation, was seriously wounded by two motorcycle terrorists, in front of her residence. Tragically shortly after arriving at hospital she died of her injuries.
Yanar Mohammed, a prominent activist of the women’s equality movement, the president of the Women’s Freedom Organization and an active communist activist, worked with the Communist Alternative Organization. The assassination of Yanar Mohammed is a great loss to the women’s equality movement and the communist movement.
On this sad occasion, we at the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees -IFIR strongly condemn this terror act and call on the Iraqi government to find the suspects and bringing them to justice. At this sad time we offer our solidarity and condolences to Yaner’s family and all women’ rights defenders across the world.
The name of Comrade Yanar Mohammed will remain alive in the hearts of the freedom fighters of the region.
International Federation of Iraqi refugees-IFIR
2March2026
Protecting Women is Protecting Society!
March 8th is the day when the movement for equality and freedom for women takes to the streets against the oppression, cruelty, exploitation, and disenfranchisement of women. It is a day dedicated to achieving comprehensive equality between women and men in all spheres of life – social, political, economic, legal, and cultural. It is a day to stand against the customs, ideas, traditions, and the culture of capitalist power, which -to maintain and preserve the pillars of this exploitative, discriminatory, and unequal system – has kept women in an inferior, second-class social status. Therefore, the struggle to end social inequality between women and men is tied to the dismantling of the capitalist system that has imposed its power over society.
Today, International Women’s Day is observed in a context where women and young girls are on the front lines as victims of the capitalist class system, led and managed by national and religious fascism and racism. In addition to domestic and social violence, women receive lower wages compared to men and face sexual harassment in the workplace. This is alongside the bitter realities faced by workers in general and foreign migrant women workers in particular. Wars, instability, and political and military conflicts have stolen the lives of women and children. The soul-crushing files of Jeffrey Epstein are a disgusting example of how capitalists, presidents, high-ranking officials, and free-market monopolies overlook sexual assault and the trafficking of women and girls for their shared interests. From Palestine to Afghanistan, from Iran to Sudan, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria, women are systematically oppressed, killed, and subjected to violence, inequality, lack of rights, discrimination, and reactionary forces. The Epstein case and the killing of women in Kurdistan and Iraq are both symptoms of a global system for which women pay the price. Therefore, initiating a universal and global struggle to overturn this system – under which life for women and humanity has become a great stain of shame on the forehead of human society – has become an unavoidable necessity!
In Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, the situation of women is an ugly reflection of the power held by reactionary, nationalist, and political Islamic forces. Individual and civil rights, and women’s rights specifically, are not only non-existent, but thousands of women have been killed under the pretexts of “honour” and “reputation.” The marriage of 9-year-old girls has been legalized under the name of the “Jaafari Personal Status Law.” Dozens of women have been forced into self-immolation. According to statistics from women’s organizations on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, 53 women were killed in Kurdistan last year alone. The waves of character assassination, intellectual terrorism, defamation, and insults targeting female activists, women’s organizations, and female figures in political, economic, social, and organizational fields are on the rise. The authorities in Iraq and Kurdistan are not only indifferent to the tragedies committed against women, but they themselves are behind the issuance of these laws and regulations, maintaining a backward patriarchal culture and giving a free hand to religious figures and preachers who promote insults, humiliation, and violence against women, and attack the bodies of women through legal articles.
Despite this heart-wrenching situation for women and the oppression, disenfranchisement, and repressive, backward nature of the authorities in Iraq and Kurdistan, women workers, the downtrodden, the equality movement, and women’s organizations have not surrendered. They represent another side of the reality of society in Kurdistan—one characterized by the freedom-loving and humanitarian traditions of women. This is an undeniable reality of Kurdish society, where the social resistance of women and their refusal to submit to the force of authority and reactionary laws has become a source of concern for the ruling powers and the reactionary front of society.
The International Federation of Iraqi Refugees (IFIR), which has always stood and struggled to remove threats to women’s lives and opposed violence and honour killings, fights alongside women’s activists and freedom-seekers to establish full rights for women and to ensure they are treated as equal citizens within society.
On March 8th this year, the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees—aiming to change the conditions under which women in Iraq and Kurdistan live, which has also had a negative impact about refugee women abroad—expresses its full support for the efforts and activities of women’s organizations and the March 8th Network in Kurdistan. We call upon women’s organizations, activists, and humanitarian organizations worldwide to support, by any means possible, the abolition of the Jaafari Law by the Iraqi Parliament and to hold the authorities in Iraq and Kurdistan accountable for the disenfranchisement, violence, and killing of women. We urge support for the establishment of a modern, humanitarian, and equal law to secure women’s rights and to support the following demands:
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The abolition of the Jaafari Law in the Iraqi Parliament, which legalizes the marriage of 9-year-old girls.
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The abolition of the polygamy law in the Kurdistan Parliament.
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The prohibition of incitement to violence against women, and legal punishment for the clerics and preachers who engage in such acts.
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Treating the killing of women as a major crime; killers of women must not be eligible for any amnesty laws and must receive their full punishment.
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The replacement of the Iraqi Parliament’s Jaafari Law with a modern, humanitarian law that guarantees comprehensive equality between women and men.
Defending women and their rights is defending the protection of society!
International Federation of Iraqi Refugees (IFIR)
02/03/2026
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