Shafaq News- Erbil
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has drafted a community protection strategy aimed at safeguarding ethnic and religious minorities and preserving social harmony, Deputy Justice Minister Karmanj Othman said on Thursday.
Speaking to Shafaq News, Othman said the initiative seeks to strengthen community security, stability, and peaceful coexistence across the Region.
He noted that Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have faced years of political and social conflict, alongside religious and sectarian violence in some areas.
To address these challenges, the KRG established a high-level committee to develop the strategy, ensuring the protection of ethnic and religious communities without discrimination.
Othman added that the committee had drawn on international experience, including the Netherlands' roughly 50-year approach to coexistence and peace, while adapting those lessons to the current circumstances in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.
According to the 2024 census, the Kurdistan Region has a population of approximately 6.52 million. Predominantly Kurdish, it is also home to Arabs, Turkmen, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs, Armenians, and other ethnic communities, alongside religious groups including Muslims, Christians, Yazidis, Kakais, and Sabean Mandaeans.
The KRG has recognized eight religions and religious denominations across the Region, which hosts more than 6,800 religious sites, including mosques, churches, and Yazidi shrines.