The rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the Iraqi parliament to strengthen victim protection provisions in a proposed domestic violence bill. On the positive side, HRW said the bill did provide for protection orders and some services for domestic violence victims in Iraq. However, HRW said that in order to comply with international human rights standards, parliament should “remove provisions that prioritize” family reconciliation and unity over justice for victims; impose criminal penalties for perpetrators of violence; and, improve the bill’s support for survivors of domestic violence, including allowing private organizations to provide shelter for women and girls fleeing violence. The draft Iraqi Anti-Domestic Violence Law was first introduced in 2015.
Compiled from: Iraq: Strengthen Domestic Violence Bill: Increase Protections for Victims; Set Penalties for Abusers, Human Rights Watch (March 19, 2017).