WRP Turns to Women's Liberation - in Iraq!

and WRP turns tr women's liberation - in lraq. ne Workers evolutionary Party.

Gerry Heoly, has for years been no is for its foilure to take up even ahtest struggle for women's rights The WRP has stood implacably on the sidelines with folded arms while campaigns on abortion rights and equal pay have come and gane. The daily Newsfine sees fit to mention women's rights only as part of its general vituperation oguinst revis onist groups, and its columns are not in- frequently graced with backward jibe the women's and gay movements.

The WRP nowadays however c vaites its opportunist links with the die East despotisms of Libya and more than its neutral stand on the w question. Imagine the delight of Newsfine: Alex Mitchell, tharefore when pres withan article by an anonymous viewer which managed to combine positio ander the heading New for Wo in Irag" (March 22 Mid frat omar ented inter both Rele women in Iraq enjoy a freedom We entered the modern era in you thi an agricultural society, very back- ward, with no kind of state organ- almost unique in the Arab world.

ver nn: agrıcult d. with begi OU lern know, no s century. iety, very state wa back gan 1E And iltu ot course in a asant agri the woman is very important a matter of fact in the Arab I they do more work than the The men are responsible for the tion, and also the ploughing is by men. But the women do all irriga done the sowing. tendin harvesting hese women. So in quite wark state ment pa tending of crops and depe al ps nd and On lat way to the en we know with d our society was idea of women began to have a it, with govern epartments. with in the 1920s, women started to work and become educated. the people b bilding townshi ps, the last week the editor biggest women's magazine, was in London to give a the Iraqi Cultural Centre position of women in Irag.

Amal al-Sharqi explain terv with News L of Ira : Woman lecture at about the in an Page 43 But which vomen who amilies, in the ural populatio he people". Mrs Al-Shar women? O came from towns- nrt a who were the richer all the 75% of Iraq middle-class ted, go educa to qi sS expl wor ork that who hey in are

finished their studies. This is still unusual. In many Arab countries, the wealthy still send their daughters to study, and then when they have completed their studies they marry.

and never use what they have learned. Amal Al-Sharqi went on: *When the first women went to university in 1937, they went to study law and medicin These women before they went, ore the 'abaya' (head-dress). But when they went to they started to wear the They wanter people to t were even nore strict others. They were not, but they wanted others to were there to learn, and not 'easy. The fir professions editor of a came out these wom university veil also. hink they than the you know, know they they were st wome were jou women's n the 1: 154g to enter the 1920s was one of to malist maga 120s • ·123 hi . Anyway t t onwards, in the towns, there was a separate role for women. But would remind you that all t progress of women up until the revol.

ution was on an individual basis. If a woman wanted to get on in a partic ular field, she could do it, but nobody welcomed her or encouraged her. hal he Ba its of ut since ath Social responsibi women. the revolution the Arab ist Party has taken it as lity to change the status Not for the aood of women for the develop populat The only, you understand, good of society. You can a country when half ion do work!' idea of impo labour, regimes women as many of the do, was rejected, were encouraged immigrant other Arab and instead I to work. tra in sne expı formed t classes. "The women w the factories, have TL..... ..... ained. Anu t he lives of nis has n5- all ho nc some w work educatio They are encouraged to go out and d work. This is the change. You see, fo woman, not working d that much difference. read, travel. But by h working, that is how w the attitude to the ro yu out air real radica a wealthy not make can still women change ner ill These women would never hame had the chance of an education or the chance to develop themselves.

on he Once hey are at work, they have the oppor unity to develop themselves, things are open to them. They can go mit have financial indenenrience have a respected position families. Now we have a law t education is compulsory This is a great advance. Women at work take a b their trade unions; some of utives of the unions for the in their primary women ig part ir the exec different traces nave women members. inat proves they are active on the shop floor, since their colleagues would not have elected them otherwise.

And the law in Irag demar

TODAY, JULY 1978.

that tirms who provide creches. schools, although and kindergarten five-year olds. Women are active tor but so is everyone. Eve Iraq is interested in polit everything so clesely. find a house, who is to l are no property developers.

If the thing you want is not shops, who is to blame? If som is good, if creches are provid your children wl has done It is politics. it is t evolution employ women must There are nursery not enough as yet, for the four and and kindergartens for the four and 1, in politics, ry person in ics. It affects If you can't same? There in the shing ed for that? your children who has done that?

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