Being an orient nation, family plays an important role in the lives of any Kurdish individual and especially young women. A family has great influence over an individual and family support is highly valuable because it affects the level of involvement and understanding the individual will have of the Kurdish culture. However, because of the limits imposed on the families by an outside force such as the community, families tend to restrict the individual and particularly young women to attain certain norms, values, and social taboos. Families however can overcome these limits and break the cycle by having both understanding and open communication with their daughters. Communication between the families and their daughters is the basis for an honest and trustworthy relationship. Thus, having complete trust in one another allows parents and their daughters to enjoy the freedom and opportunities that are open to them. Having established a healthy relationship built on trust, honesty, and communication, parents will have the advantage of playing a central role in the lives of their daughters; thereby making the parents more likely to entitle their daughters to basic freedom, and the freedom to exercise their right to good and sufficient education; education not only to run their lives, but to also learn about their Kurdish history, tradition, and culture. This will help the youth to learn positive and effective decision making skills, and ultimately will lead to having better judgment that will prevent them from making mistakes and going astray from positive Kurdish norms such as lack of education and substance abuse.

Although hypothetically our individual actions and deeds need to be independent of public opinion, it is impossible to do so as individuals are bound to behave in certain ways in order to be “normal” to the public eye. As members of a community, each one of us can help the greater community by encouraging education, involvement and service with positive attitudes rather than negative ones. For example, higher education should be highly looked upon rather than being viewed as means for a young woman simply to “get away” from her family. It is said that women are 50% of the community and the mother of the second half. That is why education is especially essential for young women. Proper education at an early age will provide a woman with self-reliance and independence to provide a better future for herself and for her family. Frequently, marriage is seen as an alternative to the proper education since marriage itself is seen as a means of security and dependence for a woman to rely on. However, it is important for the Kurdish communities to realize that an educated mother can better help in bringing up a family financially and socially. Furthermore, it is crucial that we encourage our young generation to be involved with Kurdish issues and the greater goals of our cause. The community should in no way view such involvement with ulterior motives, wasting time or simply a means of getting “attention”.

Community plays the previously mentioned outside force on any given family and sets limits to the goals that can be achieved. These limits that usually get implemented on females more than on the males of Kurdish households have lead to the absence of the younger generation of Kurdish women in the communities and youth groups. For example, we see many communities and youth groups set up in different states around the country, whether in schools, colleges, and universities. In every single one of these groups, we see a familiar trend and that is the absence of young women in these groups. Their absence disables these groups to function like other communities or youth groups. For example, without the presence of young Kurdish women, most of these groups are unable to participate in many social, cultural, and traditional festivals, occasion, and gatherings. Not having such barriers can help any community or youth group to better represent their culture and nation, Kurdistan and the Kurdish nation, to the world. Removing the barriers that have been placed on our young Kurdish women also allows them to feel like they are part of the community instead of simply subjects. The involvement of young Kurdish girls in these communities and groups means better communication between different parts of the community and leads to connection between the families and members of a community. Connection as a result of better communication, without any doubt, is what revives a community living outside of its environment and away from the motherland. We should view it as a disgrace that so many young Kurdish women have lost their opportunities to achieve great goals simply because of the restrictions our communities, and the families within them, have place upon these women.

Finally, it is of great importance that all Kurdish people in Diaspora find their role in each of the categories discussed in this article. If you are a young lady, you must find your passion and believe in what you think is right, because only through your determination, courage, and initiative can any change take place. If you are fortunate to be a family member of a young Kurdish woman, involve yourself in your daughter or sister’s life because you are an important part of every young Kurdish woman’s life and your involvement is highly valued. Last but not least, as members of the bigger Kurdish community: We all have to claim the responsibility that lies upon us if our goal is to create better and more positive community that can keep it’s traditions, cultures, values as well as continuing on with our lives in the world away from Kurdistan. To conclude, one of Gandhi’s expressions best describes the method we must take achieving our goals: “We can not command results, we can only strive.” This will not be easy, but together with determination, we must strive for the creation of a better and more positive community that includes women in its framework. We can achieve this together.

http://kurdmedia.com/articles.asp?id=12640