Newroz Dijwar/JINHA

SULAYMANIYAH – In spite of laws that protect workers' rights in the Federal Kurdistan Region, women workers struggle with inequality and violence in the workplace, according to Leyla Kerim Mixemed, of the executive board of the umbrella Workers' Union in the region.

According to the Workers' Union's 2014 survey, there are 5,180 women workers in the Southern Kurdish province of Sulaymaniyah, but only 384 of them are union members. Leyla says many women in the region are not aware that they have the right to a union.

"Women have a lot of problems," said Leyla. "They don't get paid the same as men, they work long hours and in some places, they are exposed to verbal and physical violence. But these women's don't go and tell a union about their problems." Leyla explained that it's impossible to know the amount of women facing issues like workplace harassment because of the deep environment of fear for women workers, who fear losing their jobs. Legally, workplaces are required to post notices informing women of their union rights, but laws like this are frequently ignored.

A 1987 labor law in the Federal Kurdistan Region guaranteed women workers maternity benefits, the right to equal pay and other rights, said Leyla, but it has never been implemented.

Leyla also says that the unions themselves (there are seven region-wide unions) have women's committees, but that without women taking part in the union struggle, it was hard for women to have autonomous organizing in their own unions.

The Workers' Union is planning a range of "know your rights" seminars for women in the region.

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