Marking the 77th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, which coincides with the global “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” campaign, the Hammurabi Human Rights Organization has called for renewed commitment to universal human rights principles.
In a statement, the organization emphasized that this global occasion serves as an opportunity to reaffirm the value and dignity of every human being, while strengthening a culture of respect for rights and the preservation of international peace and security. However, it expressed deep concern over the deterioration of the human rights situation in Iraq, highlighting the growing number of violations—particularly those targeting women, including deprivation, domestic and societal abuse, and what it described as “the legalized assault on women’s rights to motherhood, freedom, and dignity.”
The organization added that the spread of patriarchal traditions and social discrimination is dragging Iraqi society backward, despite constitutional guarantees of rights, freedoms, and gender equality. It cited Article 14 of the Iraqi Constitution as well as Iraq’s international human rights commitments.
According to the statement, the roots of these violations stem from complex economic and social factors but extend even to women in senior positions such as directors, ministers, and parliamentarians. The organization further condemned ongoing tribal practices that continue to treat women as commodities for exchange or reconciliation—echoes of the tragic crimes of violence and persecution once committed against Yazidi and Christian women since 2014.
The Hammurabi Organization concluded its statement by stressing that the right to stability and social peace is a universal human right for both women and men. It urged the new parliament to promptly fulfill its legislative and oversight duties and to activate national institutions to ensure the protection of rights and freedoms. The organization also called on the incoming government to prioritize Iraq’s full sovereignty over its borders and economic resources and to take decisive diplomatic steps to halt foreign interference and violations against its territory and citizens. The text of the statement is as follows:
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