“Women should raise their voices together”

Women's organizations in Southern Kurdistan criticize themselves to not act together, “We should act with our women identity not the identity of our parties. As women, we should raise our voices together.”

TERZE TAHA

Sulaymaniyah– Currently, there are approximately 300 women's organizations in Southern Kurdistan. Each of women’s organizations aims to work for women without discrimination. Recently, the women’s organizations in Southern Kurdistan have worked together to end violence against women.

“Women should work together for their common goals”

“Women’s organizations should raise their voices together,” said Seywan Rustem, a member of a women’s association. Emphasizing the influence of political parties on women's organizations, she said, “Political parties, of course, should support women’s organizations. However, this does not mean that women’s organizations cannot do anything without informing the political parties. All women’s organizations have a common goal, eliminating violence against women. The women’s organizations should work together for their common goals.” Seywan Rustem also called on all women’s organizations in Southern Kurdistan to push political parties for the release of three RJAK members.

“We should act with our women identity”

Banu Helepçeyi, a member of the Kurdistan Women's Freedom Movement, indicated that women’s organizations act with the identity of the political parties supported by them, not their women identity. “Many women’s organizations don’t carry out any works until the political parties supported by them tell them. Three women, members of a women’s organization, have been held in detention by the KDP for more than 20 days. Only mothers and several organizations have reacted to the detention until now. Women should act with their women identity not the identity of their parties.”