Balen Salih from The Voice of America hosted Dr. Choman Hardi in a discussion about gender inequality in the Kurdistan Region.
Funded by the EU, CGDS is producing podcasts, in Kurdish, Arabic and English to promote understanding of gender issues in the region. The following is one of the podcasts produced for the project.
The podcast began by discussing the differences between gender equality and gender superiority. The latter tends to be a common misconception among the community. The promotion of equality is often perceived by society as the replacement of the patriarchal system with a matriarchal one. In reality, the goal is not to achieve superior roles for women but to provide equal opportunity. Nonetheless, the patriarchal system negatively affects men as it does women. For instance, men are expected to provide for their family (as symbolized in marriage ceremonies where the groom is required to buy a certain amount of gold for the bride). Another example is that it is not socially acceptable for men to show emotions other than anger. The discussion emphasized the importance of overcoming a patriarchal society and giving the other half of the community a voice.
Dr. Hardi stated that the feminist movement in Kurdistan is currently facing difficulties in a system that is often in oposition to women. The very structure of society, with the inclusion of all its aspects, must change in order to make a difference. She has been working in Kurdistan for the past five years, during which immense progress has been made in regards to gender equality. This progress is often used as an excuse by conservative and/or religious parties to limit further development .
Dr. Hardi explains that inequality exists due to a lack of alternative perspectives. Men can defend equality and be feminists but they can never fully understand the struggles women face. Women are denied the opportunities and respect men are handed, making it difficult to communicate about these issues. The number of female representatives in the government is directly proportional to the difference they can make. So far, women have always been the minority in the government, but if we want to alter the system, more forces are essential. It is important not to allow new forms of patriarchy to surface due to technological advances and the accessibility to social media platforms. Prior to the 1991 revolutions, laws were not as in favor of equality as they are now.
The role of NGOs in Kurdistan is another misconception she discusses. Their purpose is to fill the gaps that the government left, which does not imply that they are substitutes for governmental action. For example, women who face violence can seek shelter and aid. However, legal protection and security, as well as job opportunities in order to develop financial independence, is supposed to be the government’s job. Unfortunately, violence against women has been normalized by some parts of society. It has even encouraged murder as a demonstration of masculinity and defense of a male’s honor.
Historically, there have been examples of the marginalization of women within Kurdish literature: the poet Qani’ had a sister who often surpassed him artistically. Dr. Hardi elaborates on this occurrence. Qani’s family provided superior attention to him as opposed to his sister, giving him pens and notebooks in which he could write poems, whereas his sister would write the poems on the scraps of paper that he’d thrown away. Only one of his sister’s poems survived, which is the one she had woven into a carpet with her own hands. Dr. Hardi concludes the interview by restating the importance of art in communicating the emotional factors of gender inequality. Although the hardships are unexplainable, through art we can begin to understand the reasons why these movements exist.
Summarized and translated by: Naivan Sartip AbdulRahman