World’s Women for Life Resolution & Suggestions

World’s Women for Life

World’s Women for Life 8055 Canby Ave. Suite 4 Los Angeles, CA 91335

PRESS RELEASE

August 11, 2009

International Conference for World’s Women for Life

Resolution & Suggestions

On August 10, 2009 World’s Women for Life held its first International Women’s Conference in southern Kurdistan at the University of Kurdistan Erbil (Hawler) to address global issues relating to the Culture of Life. The Ministry of Higher Education of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) sponsored the conference, which was held under the leadership of His Excellency Dr. Idris Hadi Salih, and attended by the Governor of Erbil, Mr. Nawzad Hadi, Minister of State for Women Affairs Dr Jinan Qassim, HE Chnar Saad Abdullah, members of Parliament, and leaders of Kurdish and non-Kurdish NGOs. Intellectuals and personalities from all parts of Kurdistan and the rest of the world listened attentively as Dr. David Kazzaz introduced his Manifesto on Life, presented at the first Plenary session.

The conference addressed the obstacles facing the advancement of the Kurdistani women’s movement and hindrance of the Culture of Life in all aspects of society inside and outside of the Kurdistan region. The conference created a new platform from which to debate and take a fresh look at the problems facing people everywhere.

The conference recognized that advancing the role of Kurdish women in this society is crucial to the development and the Kurdish people overall and the development of the Culture of Life which is so necessary to nurture in all regions of the world.

Women’s empowerment is crucial for the development of a free and democratic nation. It is also a crucial component for the full development of the Culture of Life. Civilized people of the world have come to realize that there really exists no alternative for the full participation of women in all echelons of the Kurdish (or any other) community. The Kurdistan elections demonstrate that there is no turning back from the recognition that Kurdish women will be playing important roles and increasing their network power at the same time.

The participants of the first International Conference on Culture of Life call for:

A. The establishment of a Center for Women’s Studies in a local University in Erbil for the advancement of the study of Women;

B. A steering committee in Kurdistan for development of a Women’s Center to train and educate women to achieve their goals and ambitions;

C. Increased opportunities for Kurdistani women to share knowledge and resources with each other;

D. The Kurdish Regional Government branch to:

· Provide therapy and medical help to widows

· Reduce illiteracy of widows, and

· Teach school children about the Culture of Life.

E. Find powerful mechanisms for preventing abuse such as honor killings, domestic violence, self-mutilation, female genital mutilation and human trafficking.

F. Implementing a curriculum for a “Culture of life” in schools of Northern Iraq

The conference delegates salute the Parliament of the Kurdish Regional Government for the increased percentage of the female members in Parliament, a number which ranks high among parliaments in the world.

Women delegates were delighted by the percentage of men participating in the conference. They stressed the need to engage men in women’s issues and the need to help men understand the importance of women’s roles as equal partners in building a new society.

The Ministry of Higher Education is expected to publish all speeches and papers presented at the conference will be published in a special booklet.

For more information regarding the conference, please contact:

Mrs. Soraya Fallah, email: info@wwfl.org; worldwomenforlife@gmail.com;or sorarayfallah@wwfl.org

Please visit www.wwfl.org