On the Occasion of the Birth Anniversary of Fatima Al Zahra (AS), Sayyid Ammar Al Hakim: Women Have the Biggest Role in Assuming Their Human and Social Responsibility of Introducing the Culture of Change
The head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, Sayyid Ammar Al Hakim, assured that we are days away from the historical moment when women will have the biggest role in change as they assume their human and social responsibility of introducing the culture of change. His eminence stressed that Iraqi women stand today on the thresholds of the Iraqi present to make the country’s history through their participation in the construction of the State and society and making the decision of change that guarantees a decent living for them and their families. Sayyid Al Hakim indicated that women are the cornerstone of family and society, just like society is the backbone of nations, clarifying that women are the start; whoever talks about sustainable development and real reform of the community ought to start with women so that roles can be complementary within the appropriate context.
This came during the celebration of the birth anniversary of Fatima Al Zahra (AS) and the national day of Iraqi women, held at his eminence’s office in Baghdad, on Sunday, April 20 2014.
His eminence highlighted that it’s now time for Iraqi women to take a stance and express their opinion through their wide participation in the elections and their vote for their rights, future and future of their society for which they are the cornerstone; they should win for female citizens, who are the foundation of all victories. He pointed out that the “Iraqi women” initiative launched by the Supreme Council was a comprehensive initiative that addressed the most important issues pertaining to Iraqi women, such as developing the structures of institutions fostering women like the ministry of women that should be turned into an integrated ministry, establishing a higher council for women, developing the necessary laws to address the problems of women or enacting new laws to define the position towards issues that are relevant to the situation of women but are nowhere to be found in law, in addition to ensuring decent work opportunities to women and empowering them in the areas of intellect, culture, economy, politics, community, service situation, especially for widows, women without family providers, women subject to domestic violence, women with special needs, elderly women, rural women and women with small businesses, all of whom should be trained for capacity building and introduced to their rights and ways to file complaints in competent entities.
His eminence insisted on the importance of hard and continuous work to accomplish this great achievement and make women reach an outstanding and competent performance and effectively contribute in building society. Sayyid Al Hakim explained that all this can only be achieved through a clear future vision and constructive strategic planning targeting the situation of women, and through cooperation, solidarity and joint efforts of female activists and organizations.
His eminence underlined that a woman who is deprived of her son, husband, father and brother is the one who bears the biggest load of the burden and pain, due to the hatred, chaos and takfirism our country is witnessing and to the evil terrorism that is invading our cities and streets with death. He called on Iraqi women to take a stance, determine their choices and win for the country, for the right, for life, for the future, pointing out that there are no rights as long as the rights of women are compromised, no security as long as women are scared, no development as long as women are lagging behind, no hope as long as women are shattered and no victory as long as women feel loss and defeat.
Furthermore, Sayyid Ammar Al Hakim stated that Fatima Al Zahra (AS) was the example of a perfect human and a state of top humanity that cannot be reduced to a sect, religion or national affiliation, as she is for the entire humanity. He added that she is not only a role model for women but for all humans, men and women, indicating that, on the birth anniversary of Al Zahra (AS), hope in the birth of a proud women who assumes the responsibility of establishing a family, a community, a nation, is renewed. His eminence stressed that women are in fact the entire society, because they represent one half and raise the other half, be it a father, a brother, a husband or a son. He highlighted that Fatima Al Zahra (AS) was raised by a prophet whose main mission was to perfect good manners and be a mercy to the worlds; she married a man whose first mission was to be the prophet’s trustee and supporter. His eminence wondered how this woman, mother of this nation’s Imams and leaders is, how she raised and taught, and what sacred duty was she tasked to. He explained that Fatima (AS) combined in her personality all the great roles of women; she was the chiefess of the women of this world, the heiress of virgin Mary, Asiya bint Muzahim and Khadija bint Khuwaylid, masters of the women of their worlds. Just like virgin Mary was the mother of prophet Issa, Fatima was the “mother” of her father.
