ASO Center Concludes a Dialogue Session on Women's Role and Contribution in Strengthening Dialogue Mechanisms between Local Actors

2021-06-05
ASO-Amouda
Yesterday, Thursday, ASO Center for Consultancy and Strategic Studies concluded a dialogue session on "women's role and contribution to the mechanisms of local political dialogue in NES" in the Zana Hall in the city of Qamishlo/Qamishli.

This session is one of the activities of the Project to Enhancing Participatory Democracy Approach in NES, in its third phase, which was facilitated by the civil activist Ahlam Hasan.

The session was attended by 29 women, from cities and towns in NES, including activists of CSOs, politicians, writers, journalists, and employees of the Self-Administration institutions.

This session aims to enhance trust between women and local actors and to acknowledge their demands from local political actors in NES.

Dr. Azad Ali, the consultant of the dialogue sessions held by ASO Center, provided an overview on the importance and the role of women in NES and what they have introduced to date, for civil and political action in international forums and on the battlefield, and commended their leadership role in all areas over the past decade.

Ali referred to the role played by women in Kurdish bodies and parties, in the Self-Administration and in decision-making positions, and wondered whether this role is real and meaningful or merely formal.

He called on women to work diligently to secure their true role and voice, and to be able to play an influential role in society and in political decision-making.

Participants highlighted the fragile role of women in dialogues between local NES actors, and that this is due to the patriarchal mentality that prevails in local dialogue, which does not believe in the mental and cultural capacities of women, and their active role in influence and input into decision-making.

Although the Self-Administration adopts the "50% quota" system within its institutions, the co-presidency system, in addition to the opportunities available to women in the region, their role in the political tracks continues to be inadequate and below the required level, according to some participants.

However, others believed that there has been development in women's reality in NES and that there is considerable "progress" on some aspects, and in a sense, development is ongoing in some respects related to the political and social status of women.

The participants called on decision-makers to join efforts to effectively engage women in the political and decision-making process of NES, and in the international representation of the region.

They demanded the necessity of implementing gender policy in the political process and the existing political dialogues between the political parties in NES. In addition to, strengthening the democratic culture of local actors, while some highlighted the need for monitoring mechanisms by influential parties to ensure effective implementation.

They also called upon women's institutions interested in women's affairs to unite to promote the consolidation of good governance concepts, democracy, equality and equal opportunities in the political arena. As well as, to develop the intellectual and cognitive aspects of women leaders in the political field, and provide the support and tools required for their success and progress. Moreover, to give them an equitable and non-discriminatory role in the political sphere.

ASO Center for Consultancy and Strategic Studies is expected to organize a dialogue session with the unions on their role and contributions to strengthening dialogue mechanisms between local political actors.

It is noteworthy that ASO Center had previously conducted several dialogue sessions on the role of civil society, the media and academics in strengthening the mechanisms of local political dialogue, in which many of them have taken part.