Federalism in Iraq and Its Role in Linguistic Diversity and the Right to Learn and Use the Mother Tongue

Abstract

Iraq, as a multi-ethnic and multilingual country composed of groups such as Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, and Assyrians, faces both challenges and opportunities in managing linguistic diversity. Within a federal structure, decentralization of power to various regions enables them to implement their own cultural and educational policies, including instruction in the mother tongue. Based on the provisions of the Iraqi Constitution, the right to learn in one’s mother tongue is officially recognized, and some regions, such as the Kurdistan Region, represent a successful example of implementing these rights by using the Kurdish language in education and government institutions. In addition to the emphasis on mother tongue use in education, these linguistic rights have also expanded into other domains, such as media and administrative affairs. Nevertheless, the implementation of such policies encounters obstacles such as disparities in resources, political stability, and the autonomy of the regions. At times, the dominance of one language can overshadow the role of minority languages. In this study, the researcher adopts a descriptive-analytical approach to examine the role of federalism in Iraq with a focus on linguistic diversity and the right to learn and use the mother tongue. The findings of the research indicate that federalism is not only a significant mechanism for safeguarding linguistic diversity in Iraq but also contributes to strengthening social cohesion and cultural identity. This study recommends focusing on equitable resource allocation and enhancing cooperation between local and national governments to ensure the preservation of minority languages and reinforce their position in the country’s sustainable development.