Five Lessons for Building a More Prosperous Kurdistan—Together

Across the world, we're seeing something powerful: gender equality isn't just about rights — it's about economics, institutional strength, and a society's long-term resilience. We wanted to share five lessons from both international experience and Kurdistan's own journey toward inclusive growth.

These aren't abstract ideas. They're practical steps toward unlocking talent already present in our society.

Sources: World Bank Women, Business and the Law · World Bank Gender Strategy · ILO

No economy can maximize growth while underutilizing half the global population. The economic case is clear.

Countries that increase women's workforce participation see higher productivity, more diversified economies, stronger household incomes, and greater resilience overall. This isn't just about inclusion — it's about competitiveness.

The World Bank estimates that increasing female participation in Iraq's labor force by just 5% could add approximately $4–4.5 billion in annual economic output.

Currently, female labor force participation sits at around 14% in the Kurdistan Region — compared to roughly 52% in OECD countries. The gap represents not just untapped potential, but concrete opportunities for prosperity.

WOMEN IN UNIVERSITIES IN IRAQ & KRI

48–52%

WOMEN IN WORKFORCE

11–14%

Sources: KRG Ministry of Higher Education · World Bank · International Labor Organization

Kurdistan has already achieved remarkable success in one critical area: education. Women now comprise roughly 48–52% of university students across the region — a generation of talented young women ready to contribute.

The disconnect? Many of those graduates never fully enter the labor market. We've invested in their education; now we need to invest in their transition to employment.

The challenge isn't access to education — it's transforming educational achievement into economic participation. Solutions include strengthening pathways through internships, professional mentorship, entrepreneurship support, STEM opportunities, and private sector partnerships.

Sources: OECD · World Bank · International Labor Organization · UN Women

One of the most important lessons from global experience is that women's workforce participation is strongly influenced by how societies organize caregiving responsibilities.

Many women work two jobs — one paid, one unpaid. Childcare, eldercare, household management — this “invisible economy” isn't just a social issue. It's an economic one. When talented women leave the workforce because balancing work and family becomes unsustainable, everyone loses. Businesses lose productivity and innovation, and the economy loses leadership.

Family-friendly policies shouldn't be viewed as benefits for women alone. They're investments in workforce participation and economic growth. Consider these proven approaches:

• Flexible working hours
• Predictable schedules
• Paid leave for both parents
• Return-to-work pathways

At SEED, we close at 4pm so that all employees — both women and men — can get home for their kids after school. We offer both paternity and maternity leave, so that both parents can care for their children, plus other policies that make us a great place to work. These simple changes increase productivity, loyalty, retention, and happiness.

Women cannot participate fully in economic life if they don't feel safe.

Safety is often discussed as a social issue, but it's equally an economic imperative. Businesses cannot attract and retain talent if employees don't trust that they'll be protected. Just as economies require roads, electricity, and telecommunications, they also require safe workplaces.

The World Bank identified safety concerns as a significant barrier to women's employment in Kurdistan — ranging from conservative norms about mixed-gender workplaces to family perceptions of workplace safety and concerns about harassment.

We believe addressing sexual harassment is one of the most practical reforms available. Safe workplaces increase participation. They improve retention. They build confidence in institutions. And they signal that Kurdistan is committed to building a modern economy.

Our recommendation? Adopt comprehensive sexual harassment prevention and response systems across government institutions, universities, public sector entities, private employers, and political parties. This includes zero tolerance policies, clear reporting mechanisms, unbiased and confidential investigations, protection from retaliation, and defined employer responsibilities.

Many countries have adopted laws promoting equality. The most successful ones focus equally on implementation.

For Kurdistan, passing a modern labor law represents one of the most important opportunities for Parliament. A modern labor framework isn't just a labor issue — it's economic development.

We call on the government to:

• Make a government strategy that prioritizes women's economic participation
• Pass and implement the pending labor law
• Adopt and enforce zero-tolerance sexual harassment policies
• Invest in family-friendly policies

There will be a huge payoff.

In many ways, Kurdistan has completed the first phase of women's empowerment. We've educated a generation of talented young women. The next phase is ensuring this talent is fully reflected in our workforce, our businesses, and our institutions — and not just at the entry level but at the technical level and the leadership level.

And it's within our power. The government can do much of this now, and the return on investment is clear.

Creating a future where everyone can thrive isn't idealistic. It's practical. It's necessary. And it starts with recognizing that when women participate fully in economic life, Kurdistan prospers too.

This blog post is based on remarks presented by Sherri Kraham Talabany, President and Co-Founder of SEED, at the Delphi Forum Slemani 2026.