Challenging corruption

By Ruwayda Mustafah Rabar:

"Hewler, be my friend in ending Corruption"

The Middle East has been rocked by protests, starting from Tunisia and spreading throughout the region. In places like Syria, protesting was unimaginable and unthinkable and yet the people mobilised for a change that can quench Syria’s thirst for real democracy. Similarly in Kurdistan, protesting against corruption, nepotism, and rampant mismanagement within the current government was unexpected. But, despite people’s fears, harassment and a brutish response from the security forces, the protests went ahead for a consistently sustained period.

Challenging corruption within any government – and no government is immune from some form of corruption – is no easy task. In Kurdistan, it is increasingly hard to challenge corruption because it takes different forms. While people have been extremely vocal in demanding change, it inevitably takes a rigorous overhauling of the current system on a governmental level to make this possible.

Nepotism

Reform is needed not just in one area, but in all sectors of government. Nepotism is one feature which has outraged many protesters. The sons and daughters of high-ranking government officials, or oppositionists, should not be given priority in politics or government. Politics is not a family business, and one family or several families should not dominate high positions because this is unacceptable in any decent democracy.

Women’s rights

Women are often used in the politics of Kurdistan to ‘fill quotas’. There are a limited number of women gaining governmental positions. Women are socially disadvantaged and the current government has failed to take adequate steps to ensure that they have equal opportunities in politics. However, the lack of women’s rights in the region is not limited to whether women have an equal opportunity in politics.

According to Human Rights Watch, a large number of girls and women in Arbil suffer from female genital mutilation. In a 73-page report, the experiences of young girls and women are explicitly told, indicating that the region’s government has failed to take the necessary steps to eradicate female genital mutilation.

Violence against women has drastically escalated, often in the name of preserving a family’s honour: women are victims of violence, either verbal or physical, on a daily basis. The lack of government-funded institutions has worsened this catastrophe of intimate partner violence and other women’s rights abuses.

Difference between networking and wasta

When the rights of women are violated, more often than not ‘wasta’ (loosely defined as ‘who you know’ or the people you have contacts with) is used to hide this abuse. It has become common practice to deliberately cover up cases of abuse against women and so the vicious cycle continues.

‘Wasta’ is more than ‘networking’: it is misusing networks for illegitimate purposes. Throughout Kurdistan, the rich and wealthy, those in touch with high-ranking officials and governmental workers tend to abuse the privileges bestowed on them legally. This misuse has given rise to widespread corruption in all sectors.

Challenging corruption

In order to challenge corruption, it is essential that those in power are legally accountable to the people. Unfortunately, this is not the case. When the sons and daughter of high-ranking officials misuse public services, police investigators often turn a blind eye for fear of retribution. The only way for corruption to be tackled is through scrutiny and accountability, as seen in democratic countries around the world.