Kurdistan Region of Iraq

This paper discusses ‘honour’-based violence (HBV) and ‘honour’ killings in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (in the north of Iraq) and the UK. HBV consists of violence committed, most commonly, against (young) women by male relatives and is usually carried out in order to preserve or restore the ‘honour’ of families, communities, or individuals. The paper discusses HBV in the context of the first-ever transnational study of such violence in Iraqi Kurdish communities. The study is a major part of the contribution of Iraqi Kurdistan to the current global effort to begin to combat this type of violence against women. Using an understanding of HBV as gender-based violence, the paper reports on the findings, actions, and recommendations which emerged from the study for both Iraqi Kurdistan and the UK. These recommendations are grounded in a gendered perspective and are currently leading to social action and change for women in Iraqi Kurdistan, together with some further impacts in the UK.

The defeat of the Islamic State coincides with the emergence of a series of crises for the Kurdistan region of Iraq that were postponed by the arrival of the fight against Islamic State extremists. These problems include territory disputes between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Baghdad, internal rivalries between Kurdish factions, internal controversies over independence, Iranian and Turkish pressures, an economic crisis, and the massive challenge posed by an influx of refugees. The war on IS united many factions, bringing in foreign military and economic assistance, however it also accelerated and highlighted problematic issues in Iraq, such as the ascendency of Shi'i militias, which pose a challenge for the otherwise successful and stable Kurdish region. Can the KRG step up to these challenges amidst declining U.S. influence in the region?

At the end of the Second Gulf War in early 1991, the Kurdish people in Iraq rose against Saddam Hussein’s regime by liberating most of the areas inhabited by them. However, within a few weeks, the uprising was crushed. The Iraqi army’s attack on Kurdish cities and villages and its retaliation against the Kurdish forces and civilians led to a mass exodus of the Kurds to Iran and Turkey. The international community’s intervention resulted in the creation of the northern no-fly-zone by the UN Security Council. This facilitated the return of most of Kurdish refugees back to their habitat. But the continued pressure by the Kurds on the regime forced the government to withdraw its forces, as well as the administrative units from parts of Kurdistan in October 1991. The Kurds then filled the vacuum created by holding elections in 1992, and thus began self-governance in the region.The areas under the control of Kurdish authorities since then came to be known as the Kurdistan Region (RG) which was a self-declared federal region in Iraq until 2005 when the Iraqi constitution officially recognized the region of Kurdistan, along with its existing authorities, as a federal region in Iraq. The KR is located in north and north eastern parts of Iraq, Syria is to the west, Iran to the east, and Turkey to the north. Its area is 40,643 square kilometers with population of 5,351,276 (estimated). The city of Erbil is the capital of the Region. Kurdish and Arabic are the official languages in the Region. However, Turkmeni, Assyrian and Armenian are also used by the respective communities in some areas. In addition to Kurds a diverse collection of ethnic and religious groups live side-by-side in the Region — including Arabs, Turkmen, Chaldeans, Syriacs, Assyrians, Yazidis, Kakayi and Shabaks. The region is geographically diverse, from hot plains to cooler mountainous areas where snow falls in the winter.

چه ند مانگێك بوو له هه رێمی كوردستان خه ریكی لێكۆڵینه وه بووم ده ربارهی سه رده می پاش ئه نفال كه عومه ر محه مه دم ناسی. چه ند رزگاربوویه ك و چالاكوانێك پێیان گوتبو وم عومه ر له بواری
لێكۆڵینه وه له ئه نفالدا كه سێكی گرنگه. پێشئه وهی یه كتر ببینین، كتێبه كه یم ده رباره ی هێرشه كانی
ئه نفال و نووسینه كانی تریم له گۆڤاری ئه نفالستاندا خوێندبووه وه. ئه و گۆڤاره چاوپێكه وتنه كانی عومه ر له گه ڵ رزگاربووانی ئه نفال و كۆمه ڵێك نووسینی تریش له خۆده گرێت، له لایه ن كه سانێكه وه نووسراون كه به جۆرێك له جۆره كان خه ریكی كاركردنن له سه ر
«ژیانی دوای مهرگ».

A joint mission of the University of Tübingen and the Antiquities Department of Duhok resumed fieldwork at Muqable III in 2017. The excavations were carried out as preliminary work for new project aimed at analysing the function and social importance of small settlements in Northern Mesopotamia in the second millennium BC.
The 2017 excavations at Muqable III uncovered parts of a rural settlement dating to the Middle Assyrian period. In addition, remains of Late Ottoman and Hellenistic times were excavated. Based on the exposed architecture and small finds, among which four fragments of cuneiform tablets, we propose the hypothesis that Muqable III functioned as a dunnu settlement in Middle Assyrian times.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the possibility of applying renewable energy strategies in Kurdistan Region of Iraq to overcome the shortage of electricity supply. Finding alternative renewable sources could overcome the problem. The renewable energy will reduce CO2 emission in the cities which considers the main source of pollution. That will participate in reducing the effect of global warming. The study tries to investigate the direct solar renewable energy through two of the main renewable energy categories to produce electricity based on a survey of literature review. Photovoltaic and wind power technologies are possible to be conducted in the region to overcome power shortage. Strategija obnovljivih izvora energije radi prevazilaženja nedostatka energije u regionu Kurdistan Iraka Apstrakt: Cilj rada je istraživanje mougućnosti primene strategije za obnovljive izvore energije u regionu Kurdistan u Iraku radi prevazilaženja nestašice energije. Nalaženje alternativnih obnovljivih izvora može pomoći rešavanju problema. Obnovljivi izvori energije redukuju CO2 emisiju u gradovima koji se smatraju glavnim izvorima zagađenja. Takođe, strategija bi pomola smanjenju glabalnog zagrevanja. Studija istražuje efekte korišćenja direktne solarne energije. Obnovljivi izvori energije su moguća rešenja za prevazilaženje nestašice energije u ovom regionu.

پرسی سەربەخوی كەمەنەتەوەكان و نەتەوەكانی كە كیانی سەربەخوی یان نییە بابەتێكی گەرم و گوری سیاسی و یاسایی سەدەی رابوردو و دەستپێكی سەدەی بیست و یەكە. لە ژێر كاریگەری گورانكاری یەكانی جیھانی و دروسبونی پشتگیری دامەزراوەكانی كومەلگای نێودەوڵەتی ھەتا رادەیەك بوار ھاتوتە رەخساندن كە ئەم نەتەوانە ھەولی دەستەبەركردنی سەربەخوی نەتەوەی بدەن، بەلام بابەتێكی وەھا بێ كێشە و ئاستەنگ نییە.  پرسی سەربەخوی كوسوڤو یەكێكە لە پرسە گەرموگورەكانی تیوری یەكانی سیاسی و یاسایی نێودەوڵەتی. لە دوای كوتای ھاتن بە سیستەمی جیھانی و شەری سارد و ھەلوەشاندننەوەی بلوكی كومونیستی و بە تایبەتی ھەلوەشاندنەوەی یەكێتی سوڤیەت، دەرفەت بو نەتەوەكانی دیكەش ھاتە رەخساندن كە سەرببەخوی خویان بە دەست بێنن، بەلام گەیشتن بە سەربەخوی بو ھەمویان ئاسان و بێ خوێنرشتن و گەیشتن بە تەوافوقی سیاسی نەبو. پرسی سەربەخوی كوسڤو بە ھوی پێگەی یاسایی لە دەستوری یوگوسلاڤیایی فدرالی سالی 1974 كە ئوتونومی بو كوسوڤوی دەستەبەر كرد و ھەروەھا ھەلوەشاننەوەی كوماری ناوبراو لە سالەكانی 1990، و دەركەوتنی شەرێكی خوێناوی لە ناو پێكھاتە جیاوازەكانی كوماری فدرالی یوسگوسلوڤیا و لەوانە كوسوڤوی یەكان لە گەل كوماری سربیا بووە ھوی دەستوەردانی نێو نەتەوەی و لە كوتایش بەرێوەبردنی كوسوڤو لە ژێر بەرێوبەرایەتی نەتەوە یەكگرتووەكان. ھەمو ئەمانە و كومەلێك ئەكتەر و دامەزراوەی جیاواز فاكتەری سەرەكی بون لە رێگەخوشكردن بو ‎ئەوەی كوسوڤو لە روی یاسایی نێودەوڵەتی یەوە شەرعی یەتی سەربەخوی بە پشتبەستن بە بریارەكانی دادگای نێودەوڵەتی بەدەست بێنێت. بەلام لە روی سیاسی و یاسایی یەوە ئەم كێشەیە ھەتا ئێستا چارەسەر نەبوتەوە، چونكە دەولەتی دایك، كوماری سربیا، ئامادە نییە تەنازول لە مافە یاسایی و شەرعی سەروەری خاكی خوی بیكات وەكو دەوڵەتێكی ئەندامی نەتەوەیەكگرتووەكان.

Iraq is facing a water shortage problem, which is becoming more severe with time. Rain water harvesting (RWH) can help to minimize the water shortage problem. Seven years of rainfall records were used to find out the quantity of water that can be harvested using a watershed modeling system (WMS). Koya city is located in the northern part of Iraq. The population of the city is about 39,484.The application of the WMS model for rainfall records of seven years (2002/3 to 2010/11) showed that 275.51 million cubic meters of water can be harvested. This implies that the annual average of rain harvested water is 39.4 million cubic meters and the allocation per capita to be 997 cubic meters per year. This amount of water can greatly help the development of industry and agriculture in the city.

Macro Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) has been tested at Koysinjaq (Koya) District, Kurdistan region of Iraq, due to its limited source of water.The studied area consists of four basins with total area of 228.96 km2. The estimating volumes of harvested runoff for the four selected basins together for the study period (2002-2011) were calculated using the Watershed Modeling System (WMS) which is based on Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) method.In this research, a comparison between maximum and minimum rainfall seasons was conducted to give better understanding for the events that is governing the harvested runoff collection.The results show that, the total harvested runoff ranged from14.83 to 80.77(*106 m3) from the four selected basins together. This indicates that the technique of Macro RWH can be considered to provide a new source of water to contribute to reduce the problem of water scarcity.

JEL classification: G210 The banking industry is one of the most important industries in developing countries, thus it plays a major role in the financial industry. Moreover, e-banking has simplified financial transactions. This study investigates the effect of individual factors on user behaviour and the moderating effect of attitude on the relationship between individual factors and user behaviour based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. A model suggests a second-order components research framework that improves current explanations of electronic banking channel services acceptance and sheds light on the role of attitude on the acceptance of electronic banking channel services which is the most important key concern. Data were collected using an online questionnaire with 476 valid responses from academic staff who work at the University of Sulaimani; the model has been tested using the Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling approach. The results show that individual factors have a positive effect on user behaviour and also show that attitude has a negative effect on the relationship between individual factors and user behaviour as a moderator.

As urban expansion proceeds rapidly worldwide , challenges to urban planning and public participation become more conspicuous. Urbanization, and particularly rapid urban expansion, has serious implications for children. While this age group is most vulnerable to the environmental hazards of cities, their needs are rarely given a special focus. Children are seldom involved in planning and decision-making on matters that touch their lives. The focus of local governments is rather on how to provide enough employment opportunities, transport, housing and other basic services to meet the growing needs. This article aims to capture the perceptions of children from two schools in Duhok city, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) about the desired spatial environment in which they want to live. For this purpose, participatory mapping was used as a tool, whereby the children were able to express their needs and preferences through drawing/mapping their ideal cities. In preparation for the drawing exercise, the children had acquired a basic understanding of city planning and the basic elements that constitute the image of a city, based on Kevin Lynch's (1960, 1977) theory of the elements of a city image. The contents of the children's drawings were subsequently analyzed, based on Roger A. Hart's (2011) classification of eight city models. The results show that the majority of the city maps drawn by the children have the characteristics of the safe and accessible city. This study does not only explore children's perceptions of their existing and future urban environments, but also constitutes a unique initiative to encourage the involvement of school children of a Middle Eastern country in an informal city planning practice. Zusammenfassung Mit der weltweit raschen städtischen Expansion werden die Herausforderungen an die Stadtplanung und an die Beteiligung der Öffentlichkeit deutlich sichtbarer. Die Verstädterung und insbesondere die rasche städtische Expansion haben schwerwiegende Folgen für Kinder. Während diese Altersgruppe am stärksten von den Um-weltrisiken der Städte betroffen ist, wird ihren Bedürfnissen nur selten ein besonderer Stellenwert eingeräumt. Kinder werden selten an der Planung und an Entscheidungen, die ihren Lebensbereich unmittelbar betreffen, beteiligt. Der Schwerpunkt der lokalen Gebietskörperschaften liegt vielmehr darauf, wie genügend Beschäf-tigungsmöglichkeiten, Verkehrsmittel, Wohnraum und andere grundlegende Dienstleistungen bereitgestellt werden können, um den wachsenden Bedürfnissen gerecht zu werden. Dieser Artikel soll die Wahrnehmung von Kindern aus zwei Schulen in der Stadt Duhok, in der Region Kurdistan im Irak (KRI), über die gewünschte räumliche Umgebung, in der sie leben wollen, erfassen. Zu diesem Zweck wurde das Mapping von den Kindern als Werkzeug verwendet, um ihre Bedürfnisse und Vorlieben durch Zeichnung/Mapping ihrer idealen Städte Vol. 151, No. 4 · Research article

Using the 2017 Demographic Survey of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, older Iraqi censuses, the 2016 Census of Iran, and reports on displacement in Iraq, we expose the male deficit in the 1958–1962 birth cohort of Iraqi Kurdistan over time, probe its origins, and illustrate its effects on the rest of the population while relating these to the historical context of the exodus of the Kurdish resistance in Iraq to Iran in 1975. In addition to heightened mortality, a number of families appear to have sent some of their teenage sons to Iran to avoid their involvement in the conflict as fighters, victims, or both. Their absence has enabled the remaining males of the 1958–1962 cohort to enjoy an advantageous position in the marriage and labor markets, while their corresponding mating partners, the females of the 1963–1967 cohort, were the first generation of Iraqi Kurdish females to pursue education and employment en masse. Illustrating the effect of conflict over demographic structure, we highlight the need for further research into two interrelated aspects: the strategies of mothers to keep their male offspring safe via selective out-migration during conflict, and the resulting emancipation of females due to postconflict male shortage.

The rocks of the Pila Spi Formation at the southern limb of the Duhok anticline have been evaluated for use as building stones. The geology of the area and examined rocks are described. Nine samples were collected and tested for physico-mechanical properties (total porosity, water absorption, saturation coefficient, apparent specific gravity, bulk density and uniaxial compressive strength). There was a remarkable variation between the samples in these properties, which showed very high significant relationships with each other. Samples were classified as frostresistant. According to the Iraqi and American Standards, four samples were categorized as (low density/acceptable), three samples as (moderate density/recommended) and two samples as (high density/highly recommended). According to some classifications, the samples were (moderately strong) except for two of them were (strong), while all of them were (moderately strong) and (high strength rocks) in other classifications. The examined rocks are suitable for interior and exterior wall cladding and exterior fencing, as well as for decoration. Four of them are not suitable for building sections that require high load bearing or in places where they come into contact with water or soil, such as foundations, while only two samples are suitable. The quality and quantity of the rocks and the quarrying conditions encourage their exploitation for building stones, with the necessity of proper planning of the proposed quarry and special treatment during quarrying.

Students from the University of Halabja were asked in a survey conducted in April 2019 about their attitudes towards emigration in the wake of a prolonged financial crisis burdening the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) since 2014. While these students are not yet migrants, researching the reasons for their envisaged migration helps to better understand the challenges they face. Despite a continuous development of its post-secondary education sector, the KRI still struggles with low absorption rates of graduates. At the same time, the KRI exhibits a growing youth bulge, as well as high unemployment levels among its young population. These unfavourable conditions might cause a brain drain, pushing the educated youth to leave the country in search of better financial means, as well as waves of social unrest as seen throughout Iraq and the wider Middle East. First results show that more than half of the surveyed students have considered emigrating. Local job opportunities would, however, diminish their percentage.