A workshop on women’s condition in all parts of Kurdistan is being held in Sulaymaniyah yesterday (12th of March) with the initiatives of Komîsyona Jinan ya Kongreya Netewî ya Kurdistan (Kurdistan National Congress Women’s Commission) and Yekîtiya Jinan ya Kurdistanê (Kurdistan Women’s Union), Roj News reports.
During the workshop, whose slogan was ‘Qirkirina jinan bi dawî bikin’ (End the Genocide of Women), women from all four parts of Kurdistan were present. Discussed were Kurdish women’s problems and the violence to which they are exposed.
In the hall were photos of the murdered women from southern Kurdistan, who were hung. Present were The Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) Co-Chair Zeynep Muradi, the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) MP, Spokeswoman for the Women’s Assemblies Ayşe Acar Başaran, HDP Erbil Representatives Naide Ermis, Ruken Merce, female members of the The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (YNK), Presidential Council and Politburo, female lawmakers of the Kurdistan and Iraqi parliament, political activists, journalists and academics.
The opening speech of the workshop was made by KNK Co-Chair Zeynep Muradi. She emphasised the role of Kurdish women in both national and women’s struggles.
“Kurdish women have worked hard both in the women’s struggle and in the national struggle. At this stage, Kurdish women face massacres. Kurdish women face a great crime. The invaders specifically target and slaughter Kurdish women. Kurdish women are in danger of being massacred by both the invaders and the feudal Kurdish mindset.”
She continued:
“Despite all the attacks, women’s hopes for freedom have not faded. Women are not in anyway supposed to accept the dominant mindset of the pathriarchy. Women must fight in all areas. Women must continue to have a big role in the struggles. The resistance of Kurdish women has become the inspiration of freedom for women and humanity all over the world. This is the time for women’s freedom in Kurdistan. It’s time to stand up to murders, massacres and the rape of women”, Muradi said. After her speech the workshop started, which consisted of two panels.
The first panel discussed, ‘Violence and arrests against women due to political power’, ‘The role of law and culture in women’s identity’ and ‘the situation of women under political pressure’.
Speaking in the first panel, HDP MP Ayse Acar Başaran said;
“Since coming to power, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been pursuing anti-women policies. The women continue to be stuck between the four walls. Attacks against Kurds and women have been increasing since 2015, after an alliance with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).”
Acar continued:
“Erdoğan is always stating that men and women are not equal. The woman is ordered to submit to her husband. These are the methods of ISIS gangs. Violence against women has increased by at least 12 percent in the last year. In 2021, 330 women were murdered. 270 women died suspiciously. 49 women have been murdered in Turkey in the last two months. 49 women lost their lives suspiciously. According to a report by the Gendarmerie Command, 49,000 women were subjected to male violence. The actual numbers are much higher than that.”
Acar also remembered the Kurdish political activist Ayşe Gökhan, who has been sentenced to 30 years of imprisonment due to her political activism. “If a man murders a woman, he is never charged with 30 years, that is how the state acts towards Kurdish woman in Turkey”, she said.
During the second panel, ‘The situation of women under an occupying ruling’ and ‘The situation of Yazidi women’ were discussed.
Final declaration
After long evaluation and discussions, the final declaration of the workshop was announced. The items of the declaration are as follows:
* Kurdish women must cross borders in unity and solidarity.
*Women from Basur, Rojava, Bakur and Rojhilat should act responsibly towards each other and continue their political and social discussions.
* It is a moral duty to take care of women who have been abused or at risk of violence in their lives.
* Women need to raise their voices in order to have a role in all social and political fields.
* The protection of Yazidi women in Sinjar is the main responsibility of women. The problems of Yazidi women are not over and their wounds have not healed.
* The Women’s Assembly should work as a national duty for the freedom of Yazidi women who are still missing.
* Unity is needed to protect our land and our country. Primarily, women must uphold women’s achievements.
* We call on all women’s organizations in the world to take a stand against the attacks of the occupying states in Kurdistan and to support the Kurdish resistance and struggle of Kurdish women.
* We call on all women in all four parts of Kurdistan to work for a common solution.
*It is the duty of women to organize the Kurdistan National Women’s Conference.
*Women should take a stand against the the enemies of Kurdish culture.
