Newroz Dijwar/JINHA

HEWLER - Women in the Federal Kurdistan Region have held a conference to debate the place of women in the new constitution proposed for the area.

Women living in the Federal Kurdistan Region in Iraq gathered in the city of Hewler (Erbil) to debate the rights of women in the new constitution. Among the 150 delegates were representatives from women's organizations and women from a range of civil society organizations.

"Women need to take part in every area of social life," said Ciwan Abdurrahman, a member of the executive board of the group Kurdistan Free Women's Movement (RJAK). Ciwan spoke with JINHA about the debates at the conference.

One of the most debated topics was the need for women to be able to defend themselves, according to Ciwan. Women called for the formation of a women's self-defense force that could intervene against all forms of violence against women.

Another topic of debate was gender parity. "There are laws saying that women and men are equal, but they aren't implemented in practice," said Ciwan. Conference attendees called for the immediate implementation of a quota for women and a co-chair system in which a man and woman share important offices. Women also called for laws specifying the equal right to life and right to inheritance of women, and for the guarantee of the right to abortion.

"At the conference, there were important debates on polygamy. Unfortunately, there are still many cases of this in our women," said Ciwan. "Despite the fact that the existing constitution outlaws polygamy, there is no penal sanction against those who practice it." In several areas--such as Maxmur, Xaneqin and Kirkuk--the government's laws have little force in everyday life, leaving men to abuse women freely, Ciwan said.

At the end of the conference, lawyers, teachers, Parliamentary representatives and women activists divided into groups who have volunteered to monitor the condition of women as the constitution-drafting process continues.

"This group will be the voice of women living in the region," said Ciwan.

(fk/cm)