Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, the Kurdistan Women Union (KWU,) part of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), hosted special ceremonies to commemorate International Workers' Day, recognizing and honoring women workers from diverse sectors.

The ceremonies featured cultural and entertainment activities.

The KWU's media director, Leya Saif Al-Din, told Shafaq News Agency, "Today, we celebrate special ceremonies to honor women on International Workers' Day. The event brought together 150 women workers from various fields who strive for economic independence and work alongside men."

Saif Al-Din highlighted the Union's dedicated department for empowering working women, stressing that women "actively participate in various domains without discrimination."

International Workers' Day commemorates the contributions of working individuals and serves as a platform for advocating decent work conditions and fair compensation. Through the collective efforts of workers spanning many years, millions have secured essential rights and safeguards, including establishing minimum wages, regulations on working hours, and entitlements to paid leave and sick pay.

Despite these advancements, recent years have deteriorated working conditions across various sectors. After the 2008 global financial crisis, there has been a rise in part-time, temporary, and poorly compensated employment, posing risks to state pensions. 

Additionally, the 'gig economy' emergence has led to casual hiring practices in which workers need more standard benefits like paid leave, minimum wage guarantees, and redundancy compensation.