"I consider every place my home. I collect waste, I want to serve the environment," said Shilan Ahmed (42 years old) while picking up trash left behind by tourists in Azadi Park in Sulaymaniyah Northern Province.
"What I do is not just part of our activities, but rather a daily routine in my life." Wherever she goes, preserving and protecting the environment is the most important thing on Shilan's mind, whether it's a daily activity in her life or within the framework of her organization focused on the environment.
Shilan resides in Sulaymaniyah and has been leading the "Kurdistan Breeze (Shamali Kurdistan)" organization for seven years, a Non-Governmental Organization NGO dedicated to raising environmental awareness and promoting environmental preservation.
"The goal of my organization is to care for the environment of Kurdistan. We have a team of six people and we conduct environmental activities."
In recent years, women have had a noticeable presence in environmental activities. In the Kurdistan Region of Iraq KRI, there are 260 NGOs specialized in environmental issues, 41 of which are led by women, who also hold positions in dozens of others, according to statistics from the Department of Non-Governmental Organizations of the Kurdistan Regional Government KRG.
There are also active women who play vital roles in the environmental field outside the realm of organizations.
Shikofa Mohammed, an environmental activist in Kirkuk, has been working in this field for 19 years.
Her story began when she was very young. She recalls, "When I was a child, I used to accompany my father to our garden to care for the trees and flowers. That's when my love for the environment began. As I grew up, I decided to volunteer in this field and work towards increasing green spaces in my city."
Shikofa initiated the first tree planting campaign in the Sekanian neighborhood at the entrance to the oil-rich city of Kirkuk in 2010.
The campaign went viral and appreciated by various groups, especially clerics, civil society organizations, and volunteer groups.
Environmental activities and organizations working in the environmental sector do not have a long history in the KRI, but rapid climate changes have made their presence an urgent necessity.
Shikofa Mohammed plants trees in the Sekanian neighborhood of Kirkuk . Archive of Shikofa Mohammed
The establishment of the first environmental organization in the KRI dates back 33 years ago when the Kurdistan Green Association (Kurdistani Soz) was founded on October 16, 1991 by a group of activists in the city of Sulaymaniyah.
The Sulaymaniyah Municipality, though it does not provide financial support, often hinders our activities and looks for excuses
The organization continues its work in two main areas: increasing green spaces and promoting environmental awareness.
The organization led by Shilan operates on the same principle. Over the past seven years, it has conducted numerous environmental activities, most of which were cleaning and tree planting campaigns in Sulaymaniyah.
"I enjoy tree planting activities because greenery enhances the city's environment." One of Shilan's environmental initiatives included planting 1,000 oak trees on Mount Goyzha on the outskirts of Sulaymaniyah.
According to statistics and warnings from the United Nations UN, Iraq is ranked fifth among the countries most affected by the impacts of climate change.
Nizar Amedi, the Iraqi Environment Minister, told KirkukNow during the Climate Change Summit (COP 28) held in Dubai, UAE last year, "Iraq records the highest temperatures annually. It's evident that Iraq is significantly affected by climate change. The rise in Earth's temperature has directly led to disruptions in the entire ecosystem. Human activities have encroached upon the Earth's components, causing a disruption in the entire system."
Women working in the environmental field express their awareness of the dangers of climate change and the rise in environmental pollution, and they work diligently to mitigate the repercussions.
This summer, Shikofa planted 2,000 trees in Kirkuk city, donated by the Kurdistan Region's Environmental Protection Authority.
"I selected trees based on their suitability and ability to withstand Kirkuk's environment, including drought and high temperatures."
Numerous obstacles stand in the way of environmental activists and organizations, including financial challenges and occasional hindrances to their tasks due to some parties not comprehending the nature of their work.
"Despite the lack of financial support from the Sulaymaniyah Municipality, we are often prevented from carrying out our activities and face disputes. These issues persist," Shilan says.
Another group of women takes on the task of reusing items to prevent environmental pollution. Shikofa repurposed a milk cartoon pack into a flower pot.
Regarding women's work in the environmental field, Shilan Ahmed states, "Unless we collectively decide to preserve the environment, we won't have a healthy environment. Women are pioneers in this field because they have a deeper understanding of the environment than others."
This material was produced as part of the "Expanding the Role of Women in Covering Environmental Issues" program, carried out by the KirkukNow Media Outlet with the support and funding of the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany.
