Yazidi Kurdish woman competes for 2023 Miss Middle East and North Africa competition

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Gulistan Guro, a Yazidi Kurd, is competing in Miss Middle East and North Africa. 

She has thus far passed several stages in the competition and hopes to become the voice of Kurdish women everywhere.

Guro is from Khank district in Duhok province, and she is a graduate of the town’s nursing school.

"I intend to promote the voice of Iraqi women in general, Kurdistan women and Yezidi women in particular to the Arab world and abroad. It is my objective to spread the message of peace throughout the world, to demonstrate that women possess remarkable abilities and can successfully complete any task,” Guro told Kurdistan 24.

She also stated that a total of 40 women are participating in this competition at the Iraqi level, and one of them will be chosen as an ambassador for Iraq.

Suzan Safar, the president of the DAK organization (meaning “Mother” in Kurdish), told Kurdistan 24 “We are delighted to see that Yezidi women are taking part in a wide range of activities today. As a result, the Yazidi migrant [Gulistan Guro] today exhibits confidence in herself and has achieved the level of strength and ability as a result of oppression and suppression.” 

The Miss Middle East and North Africa 2023 competition will be held in an undetermined Arab country in Oct. 2023, and contestants from the Kurdistan Region are also participating.

The competition aims to empower young women and help them build confidence, as well as spread awareness of the issues faced by women in the region. The competition will provide a platform to showcase the achievements of young women and promote their leadership skills. 

Yazidis are an ethno-religious minority in Iraq that have faced a long history of persecution and violence. They have been subject to genocidal campaigns and forced displacement, including the 2014 ISIS Yezidi Genocide, which resulted in the abduction and enslavement of about 5,000 women and girls by ISIS.