ŞÎRÎN SALIH

Sulaymaniyah- More women are subjected to all forms violence due to wars, conflicts, occupation policies and increasing militarism. Despite this increase, women raise their voices and struggle against gender-based violence everywhere. The Kurdistan Region of Iraq also suffers from the increasing rates of violence against women. Most believe that the reason for the increase in violence against women is the support of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) for the Turkish occupation policies.

In an interview with NuJINHA, Saywan Rostam, member of the Kurdistan Women Union, said that they would struggle against gender-based violence by chanting the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi (Women, Life, Freedom)” slogan.

‘A society can be free if women are free’

Indicating that the United Nations General Assembly has designated November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Saywan Rostam called on women to unite against gender-based violence.

 “November 25 is a day when women all around the world unite and raise their voices against violence. Today, male violence has no limit. Southern Kurdistan also suffers from male violence. Women are subjected to many forms of violence. The economic crisis and the crises in the region are reasons for the increase in violence. Women must unite against violence. In a time when ethnic and political violence has intensified, we, as Kurdish women, must strengthen our struggle against gender-based violence by chanting the Jin, Jiyan, Azadi slogan, knowing that a society can be free if women are free.”