KURDISTAN: Kurdish Women Will Transform the Economy

Currently, more women in Kurdistan are seeking primary, secondary and higher education, creating a more educated female workforce.

In Middle Eastern societies, women are traditionally the child bearers and housekeepers, while men go out, work and put food on the table. This has become a fairytale; Kurdistan's rapidly changing socioeconomic situation has made this stereotype a relic of the past. It is more visible here than in neighboring countries, like Kuwait or Saudi Arabia, where women are not allowed to drive let alone work as an equal to men. If used properly, the Kurdish female workforce can change the face of the Kurdish economy as we know it.

The post-Saddam era has been a turning point in the history of southern Kurdistan, particularly for women. Before 2002, fundamentalist Islamic movements had a foothold and neighboring countries supported those who followed this ideology. One of their agendas was, strangely enough, to close down beauty salons, stop women from wearing skirts and keep them at home. As a result, men took the available jobs, leaving women dependent on their male providers. This started to change after demise of Saddam and the entry of Western powers into Iraq. The fundamentalist movements' power started dwindling and an air of stability and freedom spread in Kurdistan, which encouraged women to come out of their homes to seek work. The Kurdistan Regional Government began taking steps to ensure women were more actively involved in the economy.

Legislation has played an important role in bringing in more liberty and equality to women. For example, until recently, laws permitting polygamy were frowned upon, as they undermine female equality. In 2008, Kurdistan Parliament passed a law which, to all intents and purposes, bans polygamy.

The KRG has been in favor of women assuming responsibility; key ministerial posts in the KRG have been given to women. The recent small loans project for young people, to encourage the small private sector and inject it with cash, should have focused more on women entrepreneurs. This is where KRG can take inspiration from other developing countries. Making attempts to empower and activate female entrepreneurship, which, according to various international studies, statistically seems more likely to succeed than male entrepreneurship.

The global economic effect of more women working has been significant, shifting a lot of patterns in the international economic forum, even changing the social roles of men and women. A negative example would be the recent recession in the U.S., which has mainly hit the male population, to the extent that this has been dubbed a "mancession" by Newsweek magazine. Of the 11 million job losses in the U.S during the last five years, two thirds have been male job losses, only one third has been female.

The potential for growth in female entrepreneurship is high in Kurdistan, as it is still developing and growing. This is just starting to dawn here, unlike developed countries where female entrepreneurship is more prevalent. In the global arena, issues pertaining to more women's rights and movements usually start at the U.S. and spread across the globe, including Kurdistan. Small business entrepreneurial activity is increasing, especially the sprouting of lucrative hair salons that are in increasingly high demand. This is happening in a region where liberated women are becoming increasingly fashion-conscious.

Currently, more women in Kurdistan are seeking primary, secondary and higher education, creating a more educated female workforce. This has and will certainly have an impact on the economy, where educated women will be more effective in their jobs and more economically efficient, with a higher set of skills. More women are moving into sectors that require better skills, such as tourism, financial services, management and teaching. The government needs to do more to help institutions and colleges that give vocational training qualifications to help women enter the workforce.

Despite the rapid socioeconomic changes in Kurdistan, there are still limitations and cultural restrictions, which prevent women from fully participating. The religious and social background of Kurdistan is a mainly Muslim and patriarchal one, although the form of Islam espoused by Kurds is a liberal religion, but the lack of political stability has kept the country backward and conservative. This seems to be the main limitation in the way of women's economic liberation, but such perceived notions are dying away as the old thinking is becoming more extinct. The last 20 years have been a catalyst of change, which is quickly transforming the perceived role of the Kurdish woman and her role as an active participant in the economy.

Developed countries have more or less reached a saturation point in terms of the number of educated working women with careers. Kurdistan being a "rapidly" developing country, with certain legislation, it can turn its female population into a powerful economic force. The forecast is a bright sunny future for the Kurdish working woman.