Between Nationalism and Women's Rights: The Kurdish Women's Movement in Iraq

Abstract

Th is article explores an aspect of the micro-politics of the 'new Iraq' by examining the understudied topic of the Iraqi-Kurdish women's movement. Drawing on interviews with women activists in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, we describe and analyze their activities, strategies and objectives in relation to Kurdish nationalism and feminism, focusing on the period since 2003. Rather than conceptualizing nationalism and feminism as either contradictory or compatible frames of reference for these activists, we understand debates among women activists as attempts to 'narrate' the Kurdish nation, particularly in response to the realities of the 'new Iraq'. We contend that nationalism per se is not an obstacle to women's rights in Iraqi Kurdistan. Rather, it is the failure, until now, of women activists to engage with the disjuncture between nation and state that could limit the achievements of their struggle.

Theorising women and war in Kurdistan: A feminist and critical perspective

“…In Iraqi Kurdistan, a recognisable women's movement emerged after the creation of the "safe haven", which was established by the coalition powers in 1991 following the First Gulf War, when Kurds gained an important degree of self-governance with some level of constitutional rights (Begikhani, 2005;Alinia, 2013). Women's activism was predominantly the domain of urban and middle-class women, who tried to improve the conditions of vulnerable women of rural and working-class backgrounds (Hardi, 2013: 49; see also Al-Ali, 2011;Fischer-Tahir, 2010;Mojab, 2009). One of the most important concerns of women activists was the rise of honour-based violence and "honour" killings (Begikhani, Gill and Hague, 2015;Alinia, 2013;Mojab, 2004).…”

Women’s activism in Iraqi Kurdistan: Achievements, shortcomings and obstacles

“…By highlighting the resilience of this specific patriarchal system which has adapted itself and survived, it is hoped that this article will promote a better understanding of patriarchy. The article also contributes to the theoretical debate about the NGO-isation of women's movements across the Middle East (Jad, 2007;Mojab, 2007 andAl-Ali and Pratt, 2011), specifically whether small and project-oriented organisations can be effective agents of change.…”

Reconsidering nationalism and feminism: the Kurdish political movement in Turkey

“…More recent scholarship has moved away from generalised assertions about nationalism principally being good or bad for women and gender‐based struggles, pointing instead to variations within nationalist movements as well as the range of feminist positions in any given historical and empirical context (Al‐Ali and Pratt ; Cockburn , ; Gull ; Herr ; O'Keefe ; Sunseri ; Walby ; Yuval‐Davis ). Adopting Anthony Smith's distinction between ‘ethnocentric’ and ‘polycentric’ nationalism (Smith ), Ranjoo Seodu Herr, for example, distinguishes between justifiable and unjustifiable nationalisms.…”

“…These include the configuration of social and political forces that make up nationalist parties, as well as women's movements and the types of nationalism and feminism articulated by these different forces. The differences between women activists in Iraqi Kurdistan relate not only to debates over strategies to maximise women's rights but also to different notions of Kurdish nationalism, ranging from patriarchal to more egalitarian values (Al‐Ali and Pratt ).…”