Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: A qualitative assessment of women’s perspectives and experience of female genital 
mutilation in Iraqi Kurdistan Region  
 
Version: 0 Date: 19 Nov 2018  
 
Reviewer: Mehrnoosh Akhtari -Zavare  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
A qualitative assessment of women's perspectives and experience of female genital mutilation in 
Iraqi Kurdistan Region (BMWH -D-18-00568)  
Thank you for the opportunity to review this interesting and useful paper. I recommend some 
changes to improve the manuscript which are as follows:  
 
Introduction:  
1. In line 36 -37, page 4: author mention about "The common type of FGM in Iraqi 
Kurdistan context is Type I that involves partial or total removal of the clitoris or its 
prepuce", what is the other types of FGM and why Iraqi Kurdistan choose this type.  
 
2. What the prevalence of FGM in other countries  
 
3. Please nominate which country in Middle East do FGM?  
 
Method  
4. Why you run this study among  Erbil governorate not Sulaimania governorate, as you 
mention in introduction the prevalence of FGM is high in Su laimania governorate 
compare to other, please justify it.  
 
5. How you calculate sample size, or how you decide 51 is enough for this study  
 
6. How you select your sample, I means snowball….  
 
7. Its better create one table and write the main questions for eac h variable "knowledge, 
attitude and practice".  
 
8. In knowledge part only mention group 2, How about the other groups  
9. In page 9, line 32, what is TBAs, Please write in full,  
 
Result and conclusion  
It's good, only in discussion bring the support for other  countries which done FGM and compare 
with result of this study.  
Finally, to draw a conclusion, I believe the authors should do the above major corrections before 
you publish it.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to  the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose  
financi ally from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organiz ation that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of th e above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
- 
 
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on my report to the authors and , if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report  
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I agree to the open peer review po licy of the journal