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6 April, 2009
From the American Solidarity Center Website
The 12 Iraqi union women arrived in Istanbul on 7 March for a four-day visit. They hailed from Erbil, Baghdad, Dohuk, and Basra, and represented oil, chemical, electrical, and petrochemical unions from all of the Iraqi labour federations. The visit was supported by the Solidarity Center and hosted by ICEM’s 13 Turkish union affiliates, led by Petrol-İş, whose headquarters are in Istanbul.
On their first day, the Iraqi women attended a special union cultural festival featuring music, songs, and dance. A special theatrical presentation depicted workplace violations and demonstrated how unions can be the best worker rights monitors. On their second day, the delegation marched in a glorious 10,000-person-strong parade to mark International Women’s Day 2009. The women held banners lettered with greetings from Iraqi working women and their unions.
During the remaining two days, Turkish and Iraqi union women participated in a workshop focusing on working women’s situations in Turkey and Iraq, gender concepts and health concerns, introduction to collective bargaining, and the Turkish experience from the case study of Novamed – a good example of successful women’s organising.
“This was a truly historic meeting,” said Solidarity Center Middle East and North Africa Director Heba El-Shazli. “It was the first time Iraqi women unionists visited Turkey to exchange views and share experiences with their Turkish sisters.”
The Solidarity Center was honoured to support this programme, which could not have happened without the strong support and efforts led by ICEM officers and senior staff: Women’s Officer Carol Bruce; Rubber Industry Officer Kemal Özkan; Director and Regional Contact Person, Middle East and North Africa, and Energy Officer, Jim Catterson; and General Secretary Manfred Warda.