Since the murder of Du'a Khalil Aswad, a little over a year ago, there can be few people who are unaware that in Kurdistan, even the stones on the ground carry the evidence of brutality and violence against women. Under the Kurdish and Iraqi government, power is ultimately ceded to the tribes, with their barbaric culture of 'honour' killing, despite the international attention given to these constant and repeated acts of terrorism against women.

Few are punished for murdering a woman in Kurdistan, or for aiding and abetting the murder of a woman. Dozens of other girls and women are killed every month because the Kurdish government and politicians in power do not care about the lives and deaths of girls and women, perpetuating the culture of 'honour' killings and failing to protect the most vulnerable members of society.