It's time for Iraq to remove religion from official IDs

Sara Hussein | Exclusive to iKurd.net

Why Iraq should remove the Religion Section from the Nationality Certificate

In Iraq and its Kurdistan Region, citizens are still required to declare their religion on a key official document like the Iraqi Nationality Certificate.

While national ID cards no longer include a religion section, this outdated requirement on the nationality certificate continues to pose serious challenges to equality, privacy, and personal freedom.

To build a modern and inclusive society, Iraq and Kurdistan must take the next step and eliminate religion from all official identity documents—starting with the Nationality Certificate.

Religion is a deeply personal matter, rooted in individual belief and conscience. No government should have the authority to define, record, or label a citizen based on their faith.

By keeping religion on the nationality certificate, the state is sending a message that religious identity is a central part of citizenship—when it shouldn’t be. A truly democratic and free society respects people’s right to privacy in matters of faith and belief.

Listing religion on the Nationality Certificate makes it easy for institutions, employers, and even public officials to discriminate, whether consciously or unconsciously.

Iraq is home to a diverse population: while Islam is the dominant religion, many citizens are Christians, Yazidis, Zoroastrians, Kaka’is, Mandaeans, Baha’is, and others.

When religion is officially declared, minorities often face unequal treatment, limited opportunities, and social exclusion. Removing this section would help combat such discrimination and promote fairness.

Countries that want to move forward economically, politically, and socially must ensure that all citizens are treated equally under the law.

Modern, successful nations don’t categorize their people based on belief systems—they build policies based on citizenship, merit, and shared values.

Religion is a set of personal ideas, not a scientific fact or legal category. Including it in official documents holds back progress and signals that some people are more “official” or “acceptable” than others.

Freedom of religion also includes the freedom from religion, and the freedom to change one’s belief without interference.

When religion is embedded in state paperwork, that freedom is compromised. Citizens may feel pressured to conform, hide their true beliefs, or fear consequences for being different.

Removing religion from the nationality certificate would send a powerful message: Iraq and Kurdistan respect the right of every person to believe—or not believe—as they choose.

Iraq, and Kurdistan Region have an opportunity to lead the region in protecting civil liberties and building a more tolerant society.

Eliminating the religion section from the nationality certificate would be a concrete, meaningful reform. It would show that the government values its citizens as individuals, not as members of religious groups.

It would help unify the country across ethnic and sectarian lines and show the world that Iraq is serious about reform and modern governance.

The Iraqi Nationality Certificate should reflect what unites citizens, not what divides them.

Religion has no place on a document that defines legal citizenship. Removing it is not an attack on religion—it is a defense of personal freedom, equality, and dignity for all.

Although the Kurdistan Region is part of Iraq, its leaders and political parties have significant influence on the national political landscape. They are active members of the Iraqi parliament and can push for reforms that align with the rights and freedoms of all citizens.

As a result, the Kurdish leadership in Iraq can play a crucial role in advancing these reforms, ensuring that religion no longer plays a divisive role in the country’s identity documents.

If Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are truly committed to a future based on justice and progress, this is a change they cannot afford to delay.

The opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of iKurd.net or its editors.