Abstract
The thesis is a case study that seeks to assess implementation of human rights in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq by applying the “spiral model” of human rights change as it is presented in The Power of Human Rights (Risse et al 1999). Empirically the study focuses on the status of protection of women against honour violence. The study provides an overview of institutionalisation of norms, discusses the role and impact of domestic and international NGOs such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as future prospects for human rights protection in Kurdistan Region.