‘Shoulder to Shoulder’: Female Peshmerga Participate in Voting with Pride and Purpose

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a powerful scene reflecting the evolution of the Kurdish struggle, female Peshmerga fighters, who once stood shoulder to shoulder with their male comrades on the frontlines against the brutal ISIS caliphate, were at the forefront again on Sunday—this time in the quiet, orderly lines of polling stations, casting their ballots in a new battle for the future of Kurdistan.

Their message was clear and unified: the voting process was remarkably fast and efficient, a stark improvement on past elections, and their participation was a direct extension of their service, a means to secure the rights they fought so hard to defend. Their presence transformed the civic act into a potent symbol of resilience, progress, and the enduring spirit of a force that has proven its mettle in both war and peace.

As the special voting for Iraq's sixth parliamentary elections unfolded across the country, Kurdistan24 correspondent Azar Faruq spoke with female Peshmerga who had just exercised their democratic right.

Their immediate and enthusiastic feedback was on the dramatic improvement in the voting process itself.

"The voting process, Alhamdulillah (praise be to God), went very quickly this year," one female Peshmerga explained. "It wasn't like last year; last year there were some delays and such, but this year was better. We went straight in, voted right away, and came out."

When asked how long it took, she replied, "Very few, a very few minutes."

Another female Peshmerga echoed this sentiment, expressing her surprise at the efficiency. "Well, it was a very, very fast process. Mashallah (Praise be to God), I cast my vote in about two minutes and came out," she said. "In past years, it took a long time, but today, Mashallah, it was very, very fast. There was no delay."

This experience of a smooth and rapid process stands in stark contrast to past elections, where technical glitches and long delays were common and costly. As senior Peshmerga commander Sihad Barzani noted earlier in the day, technical problems in the last election led to an estimated "100 to 200 thousand votes" being lost.

The flawless execution this year, therefore, was not just a matter of convenience but a crucial factor in ensuring the integrity and impact of every single vote cast.

Beyond the technical success, the female Peshmerga articulated a clear political purpose for their participation. They issued a call to their fellow women to join them in this national duty.

"I would like other women to also come to the polling stations and cast their vote," the first voter said. The second fighter was even more direct about the stakes: "Well, God willing, everyone will come to the ballot boxes and cast their votes so that the party is victorious and we get our rights."

This simple yet powerful phrase—"we get our rights"—encapsulated the central theme of the day, a message that was echoed and amplified by the highest levels of the Peshmerga command.

The participation of these women is deeply rooted in a modern history of martial valor.

As Kurdistan24’s correspondent noted, "Just as women fought shoulder to shoulder with men in the wars against ISIS, they are participating here in the voting process in the same way."

This is not a mere platitude but a documented reality. As reported by ABC News during the height of the war in 2016, the female members of the Zeravani unit of the Peshmerga were renowned for their bravery and were considered a formidable psychological weapon against the extremist militants.

The report noted that ISIS fighters believed it would be "humiliating" to be killed by a woman, with one female captain declaring, "ISIS is scared of us!"

These women, who received intensive training from Italian coalition forces, served as security personnel and were also deployed directly to the frontlines near Mosul, driven by an intense patriotism and, for many, the personal loss of friends and family to the brutal enemy.

Their transition from the trenches of Sinjar to the polling stations of Erbil is the embodiment of the message articulated by several commanders: that the defense of Kurdistan has entered a new, democratic phase.

This sentiment was powerfully captured by Mansour Barzani, the Commander of the Gulan and First Corps, who, in a statement to Kurdistan24, issued a stirring call to action. "I call on the people of Kurdistan to be Peshmerga on the 11th of 11," he declared, urging all citizens to adopt the protective and patriotic spirit of the Peshmerga on general election day.

He stressed that the goal was to empower a strong Kurdish bloc in Baghdad "to regain those rights of the Kurdistan Region that are in the constitution and have been violated."

While the heroism of individual female Peshmerga is celebrated, their full and formal integration into the security apparatus remains a work in progress, a key reform goal for the Kurdistan Regional Government.

According to a March 2025 report in the Kurdistan Chronicle, the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs (MoPA) has an ambitious aim to increase female participation from its current level of just 1% to 6%. Dutch Colonel Walter van Bijlevelt, a military advisor with the Multinational Advisory Group (MNAG) supporting Peshmerga reforms, told the publication that this would be an "enormous amount" and that he would be "very happy and impressed" if the goal is met.

He highlighted the untapped potential, stating, "I’m convinced that 50% of all the intellect and knowledge in the Kurdistan Region is kept by women."

The path to achieving this goal, part of 28 reform projects sponsored by the MNAG, faces challenges, including the uncoordinated influx of personnel from partisan-affiliated units and budgetary constraints. However, international partners are actively supporting the creation of a dedicated female regiment to provide a structured framework for women who wish to serve.

As van Bijlevelt noted, the history of the Kurdistan Region, including all-female fighting units like the "Sun Battalion" during the ISIS war, proves that women are more than capable. "So, don’t tell me women should not be in a fighting unit," he said.

On this special election day, the female Peshmerga once again proved their commitment. When asked if she voted for a female or male candidate, one of the voters gave a response that spoke to a focus on collective political goals over individual identity. "By God, the candidate doesn't really matter. The important thing is 275 list," she said. "The candidate doesn't matter, but mine was a man."

Her statement, prioritizing the success of the political list she believed would best defend Kurdistan's rights, underscored the strategic thinking that has long characterized the Peshmerga.

Having defended their homeland with rifles, they are now defending it with their ballots, leading the way in a new, crucial battle for the future.