Women Activist: “Girls not allowed to school in Makhmour

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Erbil / Mariwan Faydullah Salihi
Girls in Makhmour, a Kurdish town outside the boundaries of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Erbil Governorate, were previously not allowed to attend schools in their town. This is what Jula Haji says, a women activist and the director of START Social Development Organization (a NGO based in Kurdistan Region in Iraq).
“The reason for the girls not attending schools in Makhmour or going to Erbil to universities is not their parents. Their brothers are against the education of girls. They find it a disgrace,” mentions Haji.
START started a workshop in Makhmour to educate those youth who were against the enrollment of women in schools and universities. “We made those male relatives of the girls convinced that education is important for them and that violence against women should end,” she informs.
According to her, the Makhmour project was successful.”The participants all went to the local radio and talked about the positive role of girls in education. We’re happy we could change the thinking of some youth in those rural areas”.
START Social Development Organization is an independent, neutral non-governmental organization (NGO). It was founded in October, 2008 and is based in Erbil.