Statement by “She is a Revolution” – Baghdad and Basra, 22 March 2020

At this critical juncture in Iraq’s history, and given the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID 19) outbreak on world history, we, members of the “She is a Revolution” platform, declare our intention to work to maintain public health and support education, thereby reducing the risks of this pandemic. More specifically, we plan to launch initiatives to address the effects of the domestic quarantine on women and girls. What will the consequences be of the massive interruption of courses of study? How will so many businesses which have been forced to cease all activity, regain traction given such enormous losses in earnings? We, members of “She is a Revolution,” stand in solidarity with women and girls everywhere as we navigate this difficult time — and ultimately bring about positive change.

We call on all girls and women who are active in civil society to abide by the regulations in place which aim to halt the spread of this virus, and to work to raise awareness about the pandemic in our communities.

We call on all girls and women to develop tools at home which can lead to civil initiatives that help to increase and perpetuate the participation of women and girls in social and political life, even in the midst of our current global health crisis.

We call on female students in particular to engage fully in the remote learning options available and to enrich their personal talents by accessing online educational sites, investing time in learning and gaining experiences from studying at home, and developing educational networks and study groups within their universities and schools.

We call on working women, whether in the public or private sector, to pressure the Iraqi government to guarantee their rights in these difficult circumstances, and we ask them to share their concerns with us, and allow us to show solidarity with them in turn.

We call on all medical staff, such as paramedics and female doctors, and we celebrate the great role they have played in the protest movement; we invite them now to contribute to the activities organized by the Ministry of Health and the Iraqi health services in cities throughout the country, to unify our efforts in two confront and overcome this real danger.

“She is a Revolution” is a feminist platform which is active in civil society. It is independent and open to all initiatives that share its vision and goals. This platform emerged in light of the political and social events that the October Uprising has produced. The structure of this platform is democratic and its aim is to defend the rights of girls and women, to ensure their voice and role in public and political life. The platform works to create initiatives and activities that encourage girls and women to take up effective work in civil society, to increase their political participation and to carry out various campaigns for the benefit of girls and women of every social strata. It will focus its attention on Iraqi women and aim for the crystallization of an active feminist movement.