Kurdish National Congress of North America
Press Release
Happy International Women’s Day
In December, 1977 the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace to be observed on any day of the year by Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions. For the United Nations, International Women’s Day has been observed on 8 March since 1975. The Day is traditionally marked with a message from the Secretary-General.
International Women’s Day is now an official holiday in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. In addition, events are held all over the world including Iraqi Kurdistan. Unfortunately in many countries, while we celebrate this historic day, women have no right to gather to celebrate this day. In Iran a peaceful gathering of women’s rights activists, women’s groups and human rights defenders was held in Park Daneshjoo (Student Park) yesterday in commemoration of International Women’s Day.
The gathering ended in violence when those gathered were attacked and assaulted by plain clothes militia, special anti-riot forces of the Revolutionary guards, soldiers and police. In Syria, Kurdish women activists are arrested and in Turkey they are subjected to imprisonment and injury – regarded as terrorists by government forces. In Turkey Mehmet Deniz, a farmer, was wounded Wednesday when a festival to celebrate International Women’s Day turned into a demonstration in support of the rebel group PKK.