'Honour' Killings

So-called ‘honour killings’ are an extreme symptom of discrimination and poverty is a factor. 

The reality for most victims, including victims of honour killings, is that State institutions fail them and that most perpetrators of domestic violence can rely on a culture of impunity for the acts they commit – acts which would often be considered as crimes, and be punished as such, if they were committed against strangers. 

Honour killing is a practice whereby a family member/s kill a female relative who is perceived as having damaged family honour. 

Her death restores the honour of the family. Honour killing can be triggered by a woman or girl talking with an unrelated male, consenting to sexual relations outside marriage, being the victim of rape, or refusing to marry a man chosen by the family. 

Honour killing is often mistakenly believed to be an Islamic practice or a practice condoned by Islam since it often occurs in Muslim-majority societies. In actual fact honour killing is forbidden in Islam and there is no mention of this practice in the Qur’an or in the Hadiths. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/honourcrimes/ 
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA33/018/1999/en/9fe83c27-e0f1-11dd-be39-2d4003be4450/asa330181999en.pdf
http://minmedia.minheder.nu/2011/05/honorkillings.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B7ZsuClqXYhttp://honour-killings.com  

Every year, millions of women and girls worldwide suffer violence, be it domestic violence, rape, female genital mutilation/cutting, dowry-related killing, trafficking, sexual violence in conflict-related situations, or other manifestations of abuse.

Questions to consider:

Do 'Honour' killings and crimes occur in your country and your region?
Does your country have legislation (law) that protects the rights of women? Is it enforceable and effective? 
What resources are available to your country? What are your priorities? What new legislation or regional agreements are possible?