about us
Introducing Kurdistan Women Union
By: Dr. Vian Sleman
Secretary of the Women's Union in
Kurdistan
Introduction
Kurdistan Women
Union (KWU) has served Kurdistan women for more than 66 years till now and
saved no efforts in bringing new and modern programs to improve its organizational
tasks in order to obtain important achievements for Kurdistan women and also in
an effort to be the organization that collects all Kurdstani women despite
political differences, obviously, its success depends on how close it is to
Kurdistan women and how is their response to the demands and requests of the
union. And to achieve this goal, the organization has to ideologically prepare
its staff and well acquaint them with their tasks and responsibilities, and
aware them with the history of the organization and the goals it’s established
for, showing them the ideological path of the organization about Kurdish
national issues in general, and women’s issues in Kurdish society, in
particular.
As a
responsibility towards this long- standing organization, and as an extension to
my other responsibilities as the secretary of Kurdistan women’s union, I wrote
this booklet derived from my direct contact with the staff members of the
organization or through the large number of debates and seminars or media
interviews I attended during my career. This will be a start for a larger
project aiming to raise the cadres and staff members Kurdistan women union with
the union`s ideology and goals through ideological publications of the
organization. This booklet is the start and others would follow, a step that
would make our union a self-taught organization raising its cadres by itself.
The booklet
is divided to three parts; the first part is about the establishment of the
union and its historical stages. The second part is about the visions of the
union towards woman and national issues. The third part is about the
achievements the union obtained throughout its career, and also talks about the
specifications it`s cadres must have, shown in several points.
The whole three parts are produced in a FAQ
shape, and answered in an easy way.
I hope this
publication would be useful for the union`s cadres and would serve the bright
past of Kurdistan Women`s Union.
Dr.Vian
Sleman
Part 1: the establishment of the Union:
1-When the union was established?
Kurdistan Women`s Union was established in secret in
11/12/1952, and because of the bad political situations at that time, it is
first conference was not to be held, therefore, the administration board was
been chosen consultatively among 10 women leaders at that time, including:
Drakhshan Jalal Hafeed, Swraiya Malagawra, Najya Mustafa fandi, Najiya Mirza
Ghafuor, Nhida Mirza Ghafour. Aftaw Kareem, Madiha Muhammad Kareem. This group
has worked together in Suleimani area, secretly, until 1958, without having any
organizational grade or rank. There were other groups working in other cities,
like in Zakho, or in Kerkuk, or in Khanaquin, but they had no contacts.
2-How were the situations when the Union was established?
The Union was established in very bad political and social
circumstances. Politically the area was unstable; our nation was under a
serious risk and the occupation government was pursuing a policy of
extermination against our people. Socially, the community was totally patriarchy.
3-What is the definition of Kurdistan women`s Union?
It is a civil popular organization interested in Kurdish
women's affairs. It works within the frame of Global Feminism to obtain women`s
rights and prepare them for participation in in the deferent aspects of modern
social and political life.
4-What are the stages the Union establishment passed by?
Stag one: underground stage, 1952 – 1958.
Stage two: The stage of public action, opening of headquarters in cities, expansion
and performing activities, 1958 – 1961.
Stage three: participation in (September Revolution) and the
start of revolutionary actions to prove the role and women in the revolution,
1961 – 1970.
Stage four: from 1970 to 1975, when the agreement of 11th of April was declared; in this stage the Union began its formal and legal
organizational acts, held meetings and conferences, and developed an internal
law and regulation for the movement.
Stage five: the stage of working abroad, from 1975 to 1991.
Stage six: the stage of post Kurdistan 1991 uprising, the
return to cities and work among public and start civil action.
5-When and where congresses were held?
1st congress:
it was held secretly
from 1-4/2/ 1962 in the house of Mrs. Bahiya Marouf, in which the name of the
organization was been changed from (the Union of PDK Kurdistan women – Iraq) to
(Kurdistan Women`s Union).
2nd congress:
a KWU delegation made
of the representatives the cities of Dihok, Suleimaniya, Neinawa, Kerkuk, and
Khanaquin, participated in a congress for Iraq women Union, held in Baghdad in
25/9/1970, but the delegation has soon withdrew from the congress due to incompatibility
of visions and objectives. Consequently, it held its second congress in Baghdad
in 18/4/1971 and issued a number of important decisions for that time, and Mrs.
Zakiya Ismaeel Haqi was selected as the secretary of the organization. In
13/2/1972 it held it is first conference, to make preparation for the third
congress.
3rd congress:
The third congress was
held in Salahadeen resort from 27 – 29/ 4/ 1972 and Mrs. Zakiya Ismaeel Haqi
was reelected for the secretary of the Union.
When the agreement of 11th of April was ended due
to what is known as (Algerian plot), the Kurdish people was displaced from 1974
till 1981, and consequently the activities of the Union became next to nothing.
During the years 1982 – 1991, a comity was established abroad
under the name of the supreme board of Kurdistan women`s Union, to be able to
continue its activities abroad, Wazira Pirdawood was selected as its
chairwoman.
Attended by the representatives of Kirkuk, Suleimany, Duhok,
and Hawler cities, the conference of martyred Layla Qasim was held in Arbil,
the capital of Kurdistan Region, From 19-23/2/1992. Although it was called
conference but it was treated as a congress and a number of important decisions
was issued and Mrs. Shireen Amedy was chosen as the new secretary for the
Union.
4th congress:
On 27/7/1997, under the slogan of (equality), the fourth
congress was held, attended by representatives of Dihok, Hawler, Kirkuk,
Slemany, Ranya, Soran, Akrea, and Halabja branches and the representatives of
KWU branches abroad. Mrs. Shereen Amedy was reelected as the secretary.
5th congress:
It was held in Hewler
under the slogan of (peace, equality, and social justice). New inner program
was adopted, new administration board was selected, and Mrs. Shereen Amedy was
reelected as secretary.
6th congress:
with the attendance of
175 members, representing all the members of the Union allover Kurdistan, the
sixth congress was held in Hawler city on 12-14/3/2007, under the slogan of (women capacity building
for establishing an equal society), Dr.Kurdistan Mukryani was selected as
secretary.
7th congress:
It was held in Arbil, the capital of Kurdistan region, in
Saad Abdullah hall, on 4-5/8/2010, under
the slogan of (towards a modern society and a brighter future). Dr. Viyan
Sleman was chosen as secretary.
8th congress:
On 3-4/9/2018, under (Homeland) title and (woman capacity
building, advanced society) slogan, the 8th congress was held,
attended by 166 members. During which Mrs. Viyan Sleman was elected as a
secretary.
6-What was the main goal behind the establishment of the Union?
The main objectives behind establishing the Union was to
improve women`s awareness and capabilities to make them able to defend their
rights and demand equal chances in participation in the national and social
cases. Women`s participation in the social and national cases comes from the
belief of their equality with men in the rights and responsibilities towards
the social and national tasks, and will save no effort to prove that. Kurdistan
Women`s Union has established and worked to defend women`s rights, equality,
and to face patriarchy culture of the society, and to seek equal opportunities
for women, in all aspects of life.
7-How to become a member and take responsibilities in KWU?
According to the rules of procedure of the organization been
approved on during the 8th congress, all Kurdistan women can become
a member of the Union if she is: above 16 years old, follows the procedures,
fills in membership form, and pays membership fee.
All members of the Union can take responsibilities in the
deferent organs of the Union If they comply with the conditions and
specifications that are within the rules of procedure, and the guidelines
issued by the Office of the Secretary-General, which are:
To believe in the goals of the Union and work vigorously to fulfil them.
Believing in equality so that it is reflected in her behaviors and actions.
Compliance with tasks of the Union in accordance with the rules of procedure.
To have Intellectual thoughts and progressive ideas to promote the organization.
8-What are the offices and organs of the Union and how to reach them?
The main office of KWU, which is Secretarial Office, is in
Erbil the capital. And it has 24 committees, which are considered high organs
after secretarial office, each of which runs and supervises a number of women
centers. Every Kurdish woman in Kurdistan and abroad can contact the Union
through its electronic site www.afratan.org and become a member of the Union. There is a list of the committees and sub
branches and centers at the end of this booklet.
Part 2: visions behind KWU
1-What are the visions behind establishing KWU? And why KDP established KWU?
Every organization must have a vision, i.e. it must have an
ideological framework. The vision behind the establishment of KWU was derived
from the ideology framework of PDK, which is the first Kurdish political party
having deferent visions from its ancestors and managed to gather all national
and religious ideas allover Kurdistan in one national democratic party.
Meanwhile, PDK was aiming to crucial changes in Kurdish society, including
women development, which was a very sensitive issue at that time, due to
overwhelming of old traditions. But PDK managed to swim against the waves, and
started a struggle, beside the national political struggle, to obtain women`s
rights, and made it one of its strategic issues. So it soon established KWU encourages
and stimulates Kurdish women to demand their rights and try to change
community. Establishing such organization, besides considering it as an effort
to bring new values to the community, and an effort to establish a modern
community, it also gave a modern feature to the party itself.
2-What is the perspective of Kurdistan Women's Union on Women's Issues in Kurdish society?
The perspective of KWU about women’s issues is flexible in a
way that it shifts according to the periodical changes, therefore, its demands
and goals may vary from stage of time to another due to progresses and changes
in global feminism perspectives. The organization believes that there is no
limit or specific stages to achieve its goals and objectives; therefore, reform
is the core of its action.
In KWU perspective, the issue of women is a humanitarian
issue, it is about gender segregation. In KWU perspective, the issue of women
is also the issue of men too. It is the issue of inequality in deferent sectors
of education, social and society culture. It is about certain unwritten social
laws, more powerful than the written laws, supporting violence against women or
harms them, killing them or forces them to commit self-destruction deeds. KWU
struggle is not against men, it is against patriarchy thoughts in society that
wants to make women comes second, KWU seeks a human society where everyone is
equal, reason rules, equal opportunities provided and others wills respected.
3-What is feminism? Is KWU representing feminism movement in Kurdistan?
Feminism concept, whenever seen, is a movement seeking
equality for women. Feminists are those who believe that women are persecuted
only because they are women; therefore, something must be done about it.
Although feminism started as a political idea of western women movement against
patriarchy culture, but now it is becoming a global concept. The main idea of
feminism is that women are prosecuted; there must be efforts to save them from
prosecution. Therefore, any struggle to prevent segregation against women and
achieve equality is, one way or another, considered feminism. Accordingly, KWU
is considered a part of this global movement; and it has confirmed this in its
definition of the Union when it says that it is working within the framework of
global feminism to achieve its goals. Feminism itself is divided now to
separate branches , such as liberal, socialist, radical, Marxist, materialist,
conservative, separatist, postmodern, and etc. according to the deferent ideas
about how to deal with women issue. Therefore, we can say here that KWU is defiantly
representing global feminism in Kurdistan and considers itself a part of it.
Although it is not considering itself a part of any of the branches mentioned
above; it is rather consider itself an original Kurdstani branch, deferent from
all other branches. Because every branch of these is coming from particular
circumstances deferent from others, and as we struggle for our women rights
here in Kurdistan, whom have their own circumstances, we must have answer for
their specific problems.
4-What kind of future KWU is eager to provide for Kurdistan women?
KWU is working to obtain all necessary rights for Kurdistan
women, and to eliminate all gender differences that prevails a type of gender
over another, until there will be no women issues or women persecution any
more, and human values prevail. our
society be ready to embrace new and modern changes in which women are free and
away from any prosecution, a system must rule in the society in which women are
completely free and has the same status as men in decision making and choices,
Her voice to be heard in all fields and her opinions respected, and to become a
real partner of men in the higher positions.
5-What is the political ideology and of KWU and its point of view towards the national issues?
KWU is a Feminist mass organization
following PDK, which means its political ideology is the same as PDK. That
means, beside our efforts to improve women issues, we also work on our national
issues. In the point of view of this organization women issues are going in a
parallel line with our national struggle for freedom and its movements. Kurdish
woman is a part of global feminism, at the same time she is a part of her
nation`s freedom movements and ready for any task or sacrifice. Our
organization is working to make Kurdistan women participates in the national struggle as a conscious figure
working to eliminate sexual differences that try to define the role of women
and keep them away from the struggles. KWU completely supports and follows the
political point of view of our national leader Mr. Masuod Barzani, who is our
national manifest and the path of our nation towards freedom.
Part 3: Achievements and feats of the Kurdistan
Women's Union
1- What are the achievements KWU can be proud
of?
In addition to its very primarily
mission in defending women’s rights and demanding equality, it has the pride of
participation in the national liberation movement and it`s sacrifices in this
field are well known. The martyred Layla Qasim, who is been hanged, is
considered symbol of Kurdish women sacrifice for the national cause. In the
meantime, KWU had a great role in civil struggle for demanding justice and
equality for women and in educating Kurdish women about their rights and how to
claim them. And it played a key role in the major developments and changes that
have taken place in the situation of Kurdish women in all respect during PDK
rule.
After the uprising, its role in civil
struggle and developing Kurdish society was so obvious, especially in codifying
women's rights and creating institutional mechanisms to protect women from
violence, educating women about their rights, and educating society about the
need to respect those rights. And its role in preparing qualified cadres in all
respects, and in this regard, there are now dozens of Women's Union members in
the various vital institutions of this country.
The Union has renewed its slogan with each new phase, and has set
progressive goals as the basis for its organizational work.
Because of its bright history, the
importance of its objectives, and because of the ability and sincerity of its
cadres, the Union has maintained its position as a leading organization and an
important center for women's awareness and education.
2-What can a member of the Kurdistan
Women's Union be proud of?
The Kurdistan Women's Union is an
organization of all women in Kurdistan. Everyone who belongs to this
organization becomes a member of an organization with a bright history, full of
achievements and influence. One of its characteristics is not to belong to any
limited ideologies, and does not impose any type of thinking on its members or
possess a specific intellectual framework. Open to all different opinions and ideas in a national
framework and gender equality in terms of opportunities granted, privileges and
responsibilities. For these and other reasons, the organization is a source of
pride for its members.
3-Who are Kurdistan Women's Union cadres and how should they
be?
The Union's cadres should have the following characteristics:
-Above all, they must try to get rid
of outdated and backward customs and traditions. To fully believe in women's
right to equality, and to reflect this in their own lives. To carry an
enlightened feminist culture towards women's freedom and equality.
- To be familiar with the work of organizations in general, and
their organization in particular. To be familiar with the historical stages of
her organization's work. to be fully committed to her organization's program
and try to achieve its contents in practice and has positive suggestions and
perspectives for its development.
- Union's cadres must be socially active in their social
relations, Corresponds to her surroundings and share others their personal events.
- The union staff should know that the work of her organization
revolves around the policies of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, so she should
work to install and communicate the program of that party and its opinions on
women's issues to the Kurdish women and at the same time convey the concerns
and aspirations of Kurdish women to the party in order to put them in its
government and party work programs, so that she can withdraw the Kurdish
women's voice in favor of the party.
4- How do Union cadres develop themselves?
- Promoting
the level of knowledge is a priority for all the cadres of the organization,
the staff must educate themselves through a variety of channels and be a good
reader who benefits from different sources of knowledge.
- Be
familiar with women's issues and problems, and follow up women`s publications from
magazines and newspapers.
-The staff of the Union should be aware about political issues
and be following the political events and following the news in order to
increase her political awareness.
- Union's cadres must be aware of the general laws,
especially the laws concerning women and family, especially the personal status
laws, the law against domestic violence, similar laws in other countries and
the legal status of women. There are many other ways in which the cadres of
women's organizations can raise their level to become qualified for the task
they are entrusted with and have a role in the development of the organization.