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Kurdish women make waves with Radio show
25.10.2006
By Benjamin Sand |
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Erbil, Kurdistan
Region (Iraq), October 24, --The Kurdistan region in
northern Iraq has largely escaped the country's
surging violence, but many women there
say they still lack basic human rights. And in the
region's capital Erbil, several women have started
their own radio show to help make their case.
It is Kurdistan's (northern Iraq's) hottest new
radio show.
Radio Zine airs every morning in and around Erbil,
the Kurdistan Region's bustling capital. The program
is run by women for women.
Host Razawa Sadia, 21, introduces a new issue at the
start of each show and then lets her audience phone
in to join the debate.
Today's topic is polygamy. The local government
recently banned the practice in the Kurdistan
region. A number of Islamic groups sharply opposed
the measure and are vowing to overturn the new law.
Sadia is a devout Muslim. Even inside the show's
tiny studio she keeps her face hidden behind the
traditional Muslim headscarf.
But today she tells her audience she disagrees with
the Muslim leaders. She says whenever a man marries
more than one woman it creates problems for the
entire family.
Within seconds listeners start to phone in to share
their opinion.
One caller says she also supports the new law
banning polygamy.
"Men are never happy," she said. "Why do men always
have all these rights she says, why cannot women
have more than one husband?"
And not all the callers are women. The show is also
popular with Erbil's taxi drivers, many of whom
check in whenever they are stuck in traffic.
One driver says the real issue is not polygamy but
arranged marriages.
"If men were allowed to marry women they actually
loved, instead of matches forced on them by their
parents nobody would even need a second wife," he
said.
Women in northern Iraq are pressing for greater
rights. Despite gains in political representation,
many women say they are still treated like
second-class citizens at home.
Domestic abuse is a major problem. Honor killings
are still prevalent throughout the countryside, and
in cities like Erbil women say they are being shut
out of the best schools and job opportunities.
The program's director, Chilura Hardi, launched
Radio Zine a little more than a year ago. She says
she wanted to create a public forum where local
women could address their concerns.
And she says, from the beginning nothing has been
considered off limits.
"Look, I tell my staff that we will critique
everything, we will talk about everything, every
issue," she said. "But we do it in such a way that
we make people listen to us instead of antagonizing
them, and that is why people are calling in."
Recent shows have addressed everything from cheating
husbands to breast cancer. One of the most popular
topics, and most controversial, is terrorism.
Hardi says the latest program targeted women whose
husbands have become terrorists. Her advice, protect
your children and talk to your family.
"Because unless we talk about these issues and we
make people aware of it I do not think its going to
disappear just like that," she said.
She admits it is much easier said than done. One of
the main challenges is just getting people to share
their opinions.
Hardi says when Saddam Hussein was in power the
entire area was saturated with secret police and
local informers. People quickly learned to keep
their thoughts and opinions to themselves.
She says it could be years before people here feel
safe enough speak out.
Back in the studio, Razawa Sardia has just finished
the day's program.
When they first started broadcasting she says they
were lucky if two or three people called in. Now
they have more calls then they know what to do with.
As she leaves she says she already has a few ideas
for tomorrow's program.
The topic? Should there be a female judge for Saddam
Hussein's genocide trial.
voanews com
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