FEATURES
Moving stories Refugee Week, in June, celebrates the contributions of refugees and invites us to look beyond our own circles to the refugee experience. Here are just a few stories from women who have had to make lives away from their own country. Interviews by Judith Charlton. I understand that, in Kurdistan, you worked as a photojournalist. I imagine this is a very male dominated profession in any country, but you were the first female photojournalist from your community. Bnar was keen to emphasise that, whilst she was the first female photojournalist in Kurdistan, she doesn’t want to be seen as someone who isn’t aware of other females’ achievements in the wider world of journalism/media – or who doesn’t recognise and celebrate these. In Kurdistan, there are women working in this field (not many still) and she feels it is important they’re recognised too. What made you take this career path? Often in our life, when we want to start a new job or new career, we should have a reason to do the job. Here are my reasons for starting as a photojournalist. Firstly, I am Kurdish and lived in Kurdistan which is in the Middle East. In most Middle Eastern countries, most jobs are either created by men or managed by men, so there is a feeling that all jobs are created for and only to be filled by men. However, I believe that opportunities should be available equally to all genders. The lack of women in my chosen field made me think, well why can’t women do this job? Still, today, many stories about women are not heard because they are not allowed to discuss this kind of story; either due to being silenced by their families or by opportunities to speak out just not being available. Secondly, I saw that many foreign photographers come to Kurdistan and take photos and make stories that they show to the world. However, there are still so many hidden stories that are not discovered by anyone, particularly when the journalists coming to Kurdistan do not know the communities, language or culture. It leads to a misinformed perception. So, I said to myself that I wanted to change this. What sort of obstacles have you had to overcome to succeed, and can you tell us a little about the work you have done? You won’t imagine how many obstacles women face every day in the Middle East, especially women working in the media. Even now, you can see a lot of negative comments towards women working in these roles everywhere. Men want to draw a line for you; to stop you from travelling alone, going shopping or doing any normal thing, especially in those areas where there is war, conflict or political arguments. But I was lucky because my family supported me a lot.
Photo: Sean Gillen
Bnar
I did so many stories, especially focused on women and children whose stories are so often unheard – women who suffer from domestic violence, and those women who are victims of war. They should have their own voice, opportunities and rights. The most famous job I completed was Two Religions, One Roof. Two families from different religions, Muslim and Christian, lived in the same house with their respective families. Sharing the same roof, despite their religious differences, these two families lived in harmony. I have had exhibitions of this project in a number of countries. You now live in Bristol: how long have you been there, and how do you like it? It’s been nearly three years, and Bristol is a charming and beautiful city. I have seen many other cities in the UK in those three years, but for me, Bristol will be my favourite. The local people are really friendly. Have you been able to continue with your work as a photographer since you have been here? Yes, I have done some things and I would love eventually to make my career as a photojournalist here. My photos have been published here in Bristol, and I participated in some exhibitions in some other cities in the UK.
What is a refugee? In the UK, a person gains refugee status once the government is satisfied that they meet the criteria contained in the 1951 Refugee Convention, which defines a refugee as someone who has fled their own country ‘owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion’.
I gather that you would like to pursue your studies at university. How easy are you finding it to achieve this – no doubt the pandemic hasn’t helped – and what is it that you would like to study? Currently, I am a student at City of Bristol College. I study ESOL – these are essential English classes for speakers of other languages – and Maths. It’s not easy when you study in another language. Still, when you have a goal, it is super easy to get the motivation to do this. It’s tough when you are writing, I have a problem with grammar and I’m keen to learn as quickly as possible. Oh, and then the pandemic! This took a lot of things from all of us. It was tough because I am alone here without family, and I was in a hostel. It was very hard to pass the day between those four walls. I want to study documentary and filming at university here if I can complete my current studies. What do you hope your studies will lead to? There is a really nice quote: ‘Keep your eyes on the star, and your feet on the ground.’ With my studies and dreams in mind, I would like to become a full-time photojournalist and continue the work I was doing before. NWR Magazine Summer 2021
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