The "1st Kurdish Women Parliamentarians Conference" organised by the Free Women's Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA) in Amed (Diyarbakır) with the slogan "Let's democratise politics and build a democratic society" continues at Çand Amed Congress Centre.

 After the speeches, the conference titled "Women in politics: Four parts and common exams in Europe" was moderated by Newroz Uysal, MP of Peoples' Equality and Democratic (DEM) Party Şirnex (Şırnak).

 

Speaking at the session, former parliamentarian Leyla Zana said: “Women were between 4 walls. Now we look at them, they are an example to the world. The women of the world take Kurdish women as an example for themselves.”

 

‘BROTHERHOOD MUST BE TWO-SIDED'

 

Leyla Zana talked about the period when she first became an MP, the protests they organised and their imprisonment process: “Not much has changed in the mentality of the system. We wanted brotherhood always. But it must be two-sided” she said. “Whether in prison, in parliament of on the streets, it is an area of struggle for us. Believe in yourselves in the new process. We are on a right cause, we were the ones who suffered injustice, denial and assimilation, so let's protect our existence, not anything else."

 

'UNITY IS IMPORTANT'

 

Semira Goran, a former parliamentarian from the Federated Kurdistan Region and currently in the leadership of the Kurdistan Union of Parliaments, said: "Unity is an important door. I wish success for the conference".

 

"I wish the Kurds to achieve their rights in the developments in the 4 parts of Kurdistan and in the Middle East. I also hope that peace will be established in Turkey and the problems will be solved in the Parliament,” Kurda Emer from the Iraqi Parliament said. Stressing that she suffered too much as a woman in politics she said, “When I took part in the parliament, men were making fun of me. They said, 'This woman walks slowly, we need to take her behind us'. But I was the child of a labouring family and I did not give up. Then one day I received a phone call telling me that I should become a district governor in Koy. Mam Celal said I should accept it. I worked day and night, I had to succeed so that other women would not be spoken against. I had to give women great confidence and gain the trust of the society."

 

'WOMEN SHOULD PLAY MORE ROLES'

 

Kurdistan Pirdawid, a member of the Kurdistan Parliamentary Union, one of the participants of the conference, pointed out that women are against the power in political, economic and social fields. Kurdistan Pirdawid said, "Women in Bashur Kurdistan need to play an important role in order to ensure their power." Describing her own experience, Kurdistan Pirdawid emphasised that she struggled against policies aimed at the destruction of women and that they solved problems through struggle. Kurdistan Pirdawid said that there are still many problems that need to be solved and that she is happy to see that the role of women is getting stronger.

 

'WE TAKE ÖCALAN'S MESSAGE AS BASIS'

 

Attending the conference via Zoom, Avîn Swêd, Co-chair of the Executive Council of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), started her speech by emphasising the importance of the conference. Avîn Swêd said: “Today we are going through a historical process. Moral and conscientious responsibility falls on our shoulders. We must protect our gains and spread them to the Middle East and the whole world. We need to build an ecological, democratic and women’ libertarian society.  As North and East Syrian women, we struggle everywhere. We are working to defend our rights and to get our rights that are not provided. As the women of Northern and Eastern Syria, we take Mr Ocalan's message as our basis. He offers a solution to all the wars and conflicts in the Middle East. Women should lead the peace and democratic society project."

 

The first session ended after the evaluations of the participants and the question-answer session.