1990’s

The 1990s were a pivotal decade for the Kurdish people, marked by enduring trauma, war, displacement, and significant cultural and political change. In Iraq, the brutal legacy of the Anfal campaign (1986–1989)—which saw the systematic extermination of Kurdish civilians by Saddam Hussein’s regime, including the infamous Halabja chemical attack in 1988 that killed 5,000 people—loomed large. The aftermath of the First Gulf War (1991) and the failed Kurdish uprising that followed led to widespread destruction and displacement, forcing nearly two million Kurds to flee to neighboring countries. The establishment of a no-fly zone in northern Iraq by the U.S.-led coalition allowed for the eventual creation of a de facto autonomous Kurdish region governed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), though it was marked by internal strife between the KDP and PUK. Despite the hardships, the 1990s also saw the rise of Kurdish women as central figures in the resistance and in rebuilding Kurdish identity. Kurdish women fighters became emblematic of the struggle for both national and gender liberation, inspiring a generation of women to take up arms and challenge patriarchal structures. Women also played essential roles in reconstructing cultural life, contributing to the flourishing of Kurdish literature, music, and media despite ongoing conflict. Meanwhile, in Turkey, the intensifying war with the PKK continued to displace thousands of Kurdish families, but Kurdish women, both as guerrillas and in the civilian sphere, became symbols of resistance. In Syria, Iran, and the diaspora, Kurdish women fought to preserve their culture, fought for political recognition, and built institutions to support Kurdish rights. Archival images from the 1990s reflect not only the brutality and destruction of the era but also the resilience and strength of Kurdish women, who emerged as leaders, fighters, intellectuals, and cultural bearers, ensuring that despite the violence, Kurdish identity would endure.