Human Rights Situation in Iraq and Kurdistan Region: Constitutional and Political Prospects

Jaafar H Khidir,Sarhang H Salih

doi:10.4236/blr.2014.54028

Abstract

This study, which deals with Human Rights situation in Iraq and Kurdistan Region during the last three decades, aims to discuss and analyze certain Human Rights issues, including civil, political and cultural rights as stipulated in the current Iraqi Constitution and reflected under the present political circumstances, making specific short references to Human Rights Education. As a descriptive analytical study, clear integrated legal and political materials are used to draw particular realistic conclusions about violations of Human Rights, as well as the contradictions between the content of the Constitution and what is happening within political developments’ process on the ground. In this regard, it seems that severe difficulties and serious challenges have reduced the capacity of Iraq and Kurdistan Region from building an efficient system for Human Rights which is able to enhance Human Rights issues and support Human Rights Education.

Highlights

Iraq was one of the signatories of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948, the country experienced a long story regarding violations of Human Rights issues during Saddam Hussein’s isolated regime, in the 1980s and 1990s1
It seems from the study that severe difficulties and serious challenges have reduced the capacity of Iraq and Kurdistan Region from building and developing an efficient system for Human Rights which is able to enhance Human Rights issues and support Human Rights Education and higher public awareness
The period between 1968-2003 was the most disadvantaged period in respect to Human Rights issues in Iraq, where frequent and extremely grave violations of Human Rights committed by the Iraqi totalitarian state, including its official agencies and government forces affiliated to the top Iraqi State and Arab Baath Socialist Party leaderships headed by Saddam Hussein, the President of Iraq Republic during 1980-2003

Summary

Introduction

Iraq was one of the signatories of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948, the country experienced a long story regarding violations of Human Rights issues during Saddam Hussein’s isolated regime, in the 1980s and 1990s1. As a descriptive analytical study, specific integrated legal and political materials are used to draw clear realistic conclusions about violations of Human Rights in the country, as well as the contradictions between the content of the Constitution and what is in reality happening on the ground within inevitable processes of the political developments In this regard, it seems from the study that severe difficulties and serious challenges have reduced the capacity of Iraq and Kurdistan Region from building and developing an efficient system for Human Rights which is able to enhance Human Rights issues and support Human Rights Education and higher public awareness. The study will be ended with further discussions, drawing specific conclusions about violations of Human Rights in Iraq and Kurdistan Region; to the extent that Iraq had during the 1980s and 1990s committed severe crimes against humanity, embracing “genocide” against the Kurdish people

Human Rights Situation before and after 2003

Human Rights Issues in the Current Iraqi Permanent Constitution

Human Rights Prospects under Present Political Circumstances

Human Rights Education and the Related Official Initiatives

Findings

Conclusions and Further Discussions