Nuxsha Nasih
Nuxsha Nasih | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1977 or 1978 |
| Nationality | Kurdish, Iraqi |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, politician |
| Known for | Mayor of Halabja |
Nuxsha Nasih Ahmed (also spelled Nukhsha[1] in English; نوخشە ناسح ئەحمەد [ˈnʊxʃæ ˈnɑːsɪħ ˈæħmæd]; referred to Nuxshe Nasih or Nuxshe Naseh, born 1978 or 1977) is the Mayor of Halabja in Iraqi Kurdistan. She is the second woman to be appointed to the most prominent political office in Halabja.
Nasih was elected Mayor of Halabja in 2016. The Kurdish news service Rudaw noted that she was the second woman to hold the top office in Halabja, the first being Lady Adela (Adela Khanum). "the effective mayor of the town from 1909 until her death in 1924."[2] Nasih commented on her appointment that, "Appointing women to senior positions is nothing new in Halabja. The educated people of the city have always supported this idea."[3]
Nasih is a member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which won the 2014 elections in the town.[2] Prior to her appointment as Mayor, she was the commissioner for the Biyare sub-district on the border with Iran for seven years, and trained as a lawyer. She was supported by Hero Ibrahim Ahmad, the former First Lady of Iraq and wife of PUK leader Jalal Talabani.[2][4]
Nasih has worked with officials in the neighbouring Iranian Kurdish province of Kermanshah to officially recognise two border crossings connecting the regions. Iran is aiming to export electricity to the Kurdistan region through Halabja.[5] She is also working to end the use of plastic bags in Halabja with the 'Green City Halabja' campaign.[6]
In 2019 she spoke at George Washington University in Washington DC on the legacy of the genocidal Al-Anfal Campaign in which Saddam Hussein killed thousands of civilians in Halabja using poison gas in 1988.[7][8]
References[edit]
- ^ "Engineer sworn in as head of Halabja municipal authority is province's 9th female office-holder". Kurdistan 24. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ a b c "Halabja chooses its second female mayor in over a century". Rudaw. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
- ^ Handani, Salam. "Northern Iraqi Town Appoints Female Lawyer As Mayor". Niqash. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
- ^ Editor (30 May 2016). "Northern Iraqi Town appoints Female Mayor". Iraq Business News. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "Halabja province seeks officialdom for border crossings with Iran". www.kurdistan24.net. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
- ^ isisel (6 February 2019). "Working to End Plastic Bag Use in Halabja". Wadi. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
- ^ "#GWtoDo: Your Curated Arts and Events Agenda". gwtoday.gwu.edu. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
- ^ "Halabja and Beyond: The Legacy of Genocide and Chemical Weapons". allevents.in. Retrieved 20 March 2019.