Woman on the Rise: The Journey of a Women’s Rights Activist in Kurdistan
BY: Tanya Parasher
The fight for women’s rights in Kurdistan has not been an easy one, but Kurdish women are always finding new ways to advocate for important issues in their country.
For decades, Kurdish women have been battling patriarchy and oppression, making it impossible for them to feel safe and protected in their own homes. Over the past few years, women’s rights has become a focal point in Kurdistan. With the rise of progressive movements and feminist activism, gender equality has drastically improved around the country. Today, women continue their battle against the patriarchal mindset that is deeply rooted in Kurdish culture.
Growing up in Kurdistan, Shanga Karim was exposed to the country’s inequalities at a young age. As a child, she first noticed the effects of gender inequality when young girls were not allowed to play in playgrounds with boys their age. Shanga was lucky enough to grow up in a supportive and open-minded family — she was raised by her parents and sisters, who all advocated for women’s rights. Of her ten sisters, eight of them were older than Shanga and served as role models throughout her upbringing.
“Being raised in a family that understood the traditional and cultural difficulties Kurdish people faced inspired me to advocate for women’s rights… my parents knew in their hearts that they needed to help me focus on my dreams, study, and stand on my feet,” Karim said.
Once Shanga opened her eyes to other issues in her community, she grew increasingly interested in the difficulties that Kurdish women face in their daily lives, such as honor killing, domestic abuse, and female genital mutilation (FGM). After finishing her first year at a university, she started working with an independent newspaper, Hawlati, with a goal to advocate for women’s rights and freedom. (Hawlati has since stopped publishing due to economic issues).
“I didn’t want anyone to have control over what I wrote or published, which is why I decided to work with a non-governmental paper,” Karim said. Shanga used her voice on the paper to empower women to improve themselves and find their voices.
According to Karim, today the Kurdish government fabricates false realities of their country by hiding or downplaying their deep-rooted issues. As a female journalist fighting for justice and equality, Shanga was determined to put the realities of Kurdistan, both the good and bad, on public display.
“So many activists are working so hard over there, but it’s very difficult — many people have lost their careers, their lives and their families.” All of these challenges paired with the deep economic and political issues made it impossible for Shanga to live a normal life in Kurdistan.
“As you know, we are separated in different parts between Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Syria, which made it much harder for us to achieve our goals and dreams. Living in Kurdistan has become a deep and big struggle for us Kurdish people.”
In 2015, she moved to Canada to continue her efforts from there. Shanga found a place for herself with The Shoe Project, a non-governmental organization with a mission to help female immigrants and refugees find security in a new country. She described The Shoe Project as a “home that welcomes us to explore our feelings, stories, and identities.” By forming powerful connections with other members, women not only strengthen their voices but also find a sense of safety in their new homes.
Shanga’s journey has only just begun — with upcoming ideas and projects, she will continue raising awareness about Kurdish women’s rights and abilities. “As a storyteller and writer in Canada, I feel a duty to teach people from different cultures and countries about Kurdish women. I would love to write about women from other countries, who have had challenging experiences but have rebuilt their lives and become good examples for young girls in their community.” By moving to Canada, a country that encourages equality and social justice, Shanga can feel safe while working and speaking about her experiences as a woman.
Tanya Parasher is a high school senior at Campbell Hall in Los Angeles. She is of Indian and Moroccan nationalities, and was inspired to intern with Women’s Voices Now after witnessing the inequalities of her home countries. Tanya hopes to study English and Journalism in college, and is also passionate about creative writing. She is currently an editorial intern for The WVoice.
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