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25 January, 2010
Hashmeya Muhssin Saadawi, ICEM Executive Committee member and President of the Basra Electricity Workers’ Union, has long been fighting for the rights and welfare of women, as well as for men, in Basra, Iraq, for many years. She has now launched a campaign inside the worn-torn country for social security, a campaign funded in large part by money awarded to her upon winning the Dutch Human Rights Award, the FNV’s prestigious Febe Elisabeth Velasquez Trade Union Award.
Hashmeya Muhssin Saadawi
She was awarded that on 12 May 2009, after being nominated by the ICEM, for her courageous work under challenging circumstances and great personal risks, in the furthering of the trade union struggle in Iraq. (See report of that award here.)
The elements of the social security campaign are equality and social equality, as well as security, social security, work, housing, and education. Land needs to be redistributed, health insurance has to be provided, and cures for different diseases have to be found. Click here to view the campaign manual in English.
Hasmeya Muhssin is the first female trade union leader in the Arab-speaking world.