According to data compiled by Rojnews, 21 women were murdered in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) in the first eight months of 2025, while 17 women died under suspicious circumstances.
Most of the cases were recorded in the cities of Sulaymaniyah, Erbil, Ranya, Duhok, Zakho, and Soran between January and August. During the same period, many women were driven to suicide and more were injured.
In June, four female teachers in Sulaymaniyah were subjected to violence by security forces.
In 2024, a total of 39 women were victims of murders and suspicious deaths in the region, said the Rojnews report, noting that official statistics on femicides have not been shared with the public since Masrour Barzani became head of government in 2019.
Rojnews emphasized that the protection of perpetrators, the failure to enforce the law, and structural deficiencies in the justice system play a significant role in the rise in femicides. As a result, most cases go unpunished.