We are both women and Kurd: An intersectional analysis of female Kolbars challenges in Iranian Kurdistan amid the COVID crisis

Abstract

This study uses an intersectional lens to explore the embodied experiences of Kurdish female porters (porters are called Kolbars in the Kurdish language) in Iranian Kurdistan and how their lives and employment have been impacted by the COVID‐19 crisis by drawing on one semi‐structured interview with a female Kolbar living in a rural area of Kurdistan Province. The findings demonstrate that female Kolbars are victims of intersected factors such as gender, ethnicity, solid patriarchal culture in the region and country, the unequal distribution of resources and wealth throughout the country, and economic sanctions and recessions in the state. They resist these various sources of oppression by risking their lives and carrying loads across mountainous borders, staying silent and committing suicide when they have no other options. This study contributes to the feminist intersectionality debate by rendering the intersectional embodied aspects of a marginalized, unfranchised, and under‐studied population of women in one of the most gender‐inequitable countries in the world. Furthermore, it adds to the broader literature on gender inequalities that lie outside of typical organisations and the Western context.

Identification of causes and consequences of Kolberi among Iranian Kurdish women: a grounded theory study

“…Social interactions and bonds are among the other predisposing conditions behind Kolberi, as this finding was consistent with the research by Mahmoodi and Moradi, 2021 [ 8 ]. Similar results were obtained in AleAhmad's study in 2023 [ 14 ]. People on both sides of the border in Iran and Iraq are Kurds and have many linguistic and cultural similarities.…”

“…Thus, most of the women conceal their Kolberi from the people around them and even family members, thereby facing much psychological pressure. AleAhmed (2023) also showed that the women in Kolber prefer others not to notice their work [ 14 ]. The formation of women's groups was one of the other strategies adopted by Kolberi women.…”

“…Physical injuries such as back pain and knee pain are among the most important personal problems facing Kolberi women, which is expected as Kolber women climb up and down the mountains frequently. In the study of AleAhmed (2023), physical problems and injuries were among the complications of women [ 14 ]. In their research, Zareshahabadi and Mohammadi (2021) examined such problems as back and knee pain, with cases of arthritis also reported [ 5 ].…”

“…[ 1 , 11 ]. It was found that from 2012 until December 3, 2021, 621 Kolbers were killed and 1088 were wounded [ 10 , 14 ]. This figure is probably much higher, as many of the fatalities remain hidden due to security considerations and fear of being interrogated.…”

“…They face harsh weather and mountainous paths and risk their lives to provide for their families and avoid starvation. Moreover, women cannot work during the winter since load owners believe they do not have the strength and physical power to survive in the severe weather and that their deaths will cause the owners' loads to be lost [ 14 ]. There is no accurate figure for female Kolbers, as they have been less focused due to some social and cultural considerations and fear of imprisonment by police forces.…”