26 years of women's struggle against the conspiracy

Women see the international conspiracy against leader Abdullah Ocalan as an infringement on their free will, so for 26 years of the conspiracy, they have adopted the approach of "Women, Life, Freedom" in all political, social, cultural, and protective fields.

The first event against the conspiracy

The first protest against the international conspiracy launched against leader Abdullah Ocalan from Syria began in Turkish prisons under the name "You will not be able to hide our sun." This resistance started when Mohammed Khaled Ural set himself on fire inside the prison on October 9, 1998. Following in his footsteps, the detainees Salamat Menteş and Aynur Artan (Routinda) set themselves on fire in the Mardin prison on the 23rd of the same month and year. During this protest, more than 100 fighters set themselves on fire, martyred, and hundreds were injured.

The activities of the hunger strike and the hunger fast

The hunger strike began in protest against the torture and extermination system imposed on leader Abdullah Ocalan in Imralı prison, led by the co-chair of the Democratic Society Congress, Leyla Güven, on November 8, 2018. Following this, the hunger strike activities were fully initiated and continued indefinitely. In this context, the detainees Yunca Akçi, Talqif Kızın, Agur Şakar, Aytin Beçet, Zahra Sağlam, Medya Canar, Seraj Yüksel, and Masum Bamayi began a commando operation in the prisons.

On November 27, 2023, members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Free Women's Party of Kurdistan, along with several political prisoners, began a hunger strike in Turkish prisons. On April 4 of the previous year, the action entered a new phase with the "boycott of courts, family visits, and phone communication."

Kurdish women in politics

Women participated in marches, meetings, and uprisings, engaged in defense on the front lines, and played a prominent role in the political sphere as well. The political struggle of women, which began with the People's Labor Party (HEP), continued in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan in 1991 with the Democratic Party (DEP-1994) and the People's Democratic Party (HADEP-1994-2003) due to the state's closure of parties. Women's units were established within the People's Democratic Party since 1997, and during the party's 2000 conference, it was decided to represent women in all administrations and decision-making centers at a rate of no less than one-quarter. Women continued their work under the umbrella of the People's Democratic Party and increased their representation from 25 percent to 35 percent.

The system of co-chairmanship

 The Democratic Society Party (DTP) was founded in 2005, and for the first time in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan, a co-chairmanship system was adopted, with the co-chairs being Ahmet Türk and Aysel Tuğluk.

The struggle of women expanded despite the Turkish state's continued closure of these parties, and the representation of women reached 50 percent in the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) established in 2009, the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) established in 2013, the Left Green Party established in 2012, and the Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Partî) established in 2023.

In their struggle and organization on the social level, women reached the Turkish parliament and gave a new concept to politics. The Free Women’s Movement, which was represented in the Turkish parliament in 1991 by Leyla Zana, was represented in the 2007 elections by 8 female deputies, in the 2011 elections by 11 female deputies, in 2015 by 31 female deputies, in 2018 by 24 female deputies, and in 2023 by 30 female deputies.

Self-regulation

Women of Northern Kurdistan established the Free Democratic Women's Movement (DÖKH) in 2003, based on the leader's directive that "society will not be liberated unless women are liberated." The DÖKH, which was founded as an umbrella organization, has played an important role by developing a network of alliances with women's movements in Turkey and around the world.

In 2013, the first Middle Eastern Women's Conference was held in Amêd, with the participation of women from 26 different countries in Africa, Europe, America, and Asia. During the conference, the saying of leader Abdullah Ocalan, "Society will not be liberated unless women are liberated," was adopted as a guiding principle for the struggle.

 At the first women's conference held in 2015, the Free Democratic Women's Movement (DÖKH) changed its name to the Free Women's Conference (KJA) and continued its struggle under the slogan "Not a single woman should remain unorganized." The Free Women's Conference was closed by the Turkish state in 2016, like many other women's institutions, but it continues its struggle under the name of the Free Women's Movement. (TJA).

Towards mobilization

The Kurdish woman played a pioneering role in the field of protection and defense as well, introducing the mobilization of women as a new endeavor in the world. In this context, thousands of women joined the ranks of the Kurdish liberation movement, following in the footsteps of Sakîne Cansiz , who participated in the founding congress of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

When the first indigenous organization, the Kurdistan National Women's Union (YJWK), was established in 1987, the first theoretical assessments of women concerning the patriarchal system were conducted during this period, continuing from 1987 until 1993.

In 1993, against the attacks launched by the Turkish state and the Kurdistan Democratic Party on the guerrilla forces in 1992, and in memory of the martyr Kulanaz Karataş (Bertan Hevi), who became a legend for her refusal to surrender, women's units were formed within the Kurdistan People's Liberation Army. (ARGK).

In 1995, during the first conference of the Freedom of Kurdish Women, an organization named the Free Women's Units of Kurdistan was established. (YAJK).

Towards partisanship and confederation

 The Kurdistan National Women's Party (PJKK) was established on March 8, 1999, based on the women's liberation ideology formulated by leader Abdullah Ocalan on March 8, 1998. On July 29 - August 21, 2000, during the third conference of free women, the name (PJKK) was changed to the Free Women's Party (PJA). On June 17 - July 2, 2004, during the fifth conference of free women, the name (PJA) was changed to the Kurdistan Women's Freedom Party (PAJK), which continues its activities and events with the aim of making the 21st century favorable for women. It is one of the most important parties representing the women's liberation approach in Kurdistan, the Middle East, and the entire world.

On April 20, 2005, the Supreme Women's Council (KJB) was established and took a step towards the confederal system, moving to another phase in 2014 under the name of the Kurdish Women's System. (KJK).

Star Forces

 During the 2004 conference, the female guerrilla fighters who organized their ranks according to the ideology of the free woman, under the guidance of Leader Abdullah Ocalan, named their women's combat organization the Free Women's Units - Star (YJA STAR).

Vian Soran (Leyla Wali Hussein), one of the prominent leaders of the Free Women's Units - Star, set herself on fire in Haftanin on February 1, 2006 in protest against the international conspiracy on Leader Abdullah Ocalan and rose to the rank of martyrdom.

Women's Revolution.

The Star Union played a leading role in the July 19 Revolution and changed its name to the Kongra Star in 2016 and continues to work as an umbrella organization for all women's groups and movements in NE Syria.

Women fought on the front lines in the battles to liberate Rojava from the Damascus government and the mercenaries of Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS, and achieved that by establishing the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) on April 4, 2013.

The Women's Protection Units have become a unified force with the participation of Kurdish, Arab, Armenian and Syriac women.

The fighters of the Women's Protection Units played vital role in the Kobani resistance, as they spread the slogan "Women, Life, Freedom" throughout the world, where hundreds of female fighters such as Arin Mirkan, Riwan Kobani and Avesta Khabur played the greatest role in eliminating the geographical presence of ISIS and defeating it in Baghouz in 2019.

 Following the establishment of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, women have become an independent force within the Internal Security Forces and the Self-Defense Duty Forces, and have emphasized that defending the homeland is the mission of society.

 Women also actively participated in establishing the Democratic Autonomous Administration system and joint presidency at all administrative levels, starting from the commune to the councils.

Jineoloji

Scientific and academic activities began to establish and spread the science and mentality of women’s struggle, which gradually spread to society.

 Jineoloji activities began in 2011. The Jineoloji Academy was established in 2015 within the framework of Jineoloji, which is defined as “the science of women”, “the science of life”, “the science of society”, “the science of coexistence” and “the science of knowledge”.

Many conferences and seminars were held on this topic, and workshops and camps were held in this context in Kurdistan and many regions around the world. The Jineoloji Journal began publishing in 2016. Jineoloji research centers were opened in Rojava in 2017, and a Jineoloji department was opened at Rojava University in the same year. In 2018, a Jineoloji center was opened in Belgium, and Jineoloji committees were formed in different countries.

First women's organization in Southern Kurdistan

The women of Southern Kurdistan are moving according to the leader's directive "The revolution of Southern Kurdistan must be a women's revolution" and on this basis,  they are waging a strong struggle against the government's attacks on the approach of free women.

The women expressed their will against the institutions that were established in the name of women's rights but are subject to the authority of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, this resulted in the establishment of the Kurdistan Free Women's Organization (RJAK) on December 21, 2002 as the first women's organization in Southern Kurdistan, and the Kurdistan Free Women's Organization gained official status under Iraqi laws in 2007, and changed its name in 2009 to the Kurdistan Freedom Defenders Organization (RJAK).

Establishment of TAJÊ and YJŞ in Shingal

In the face of the attacks by ISIS on August 3, 2014, Shingal women established the Shingal Women's Units (YJŞ) in 2014, which is the first unified Yazidi women's force in Yazidi history. Women played a pioneering role in liberating Shingal from ISIS.

In 2019, the Women's Asayish was established in the Khanasor district of Shingal, while the Yazidi Women's Freedom Movement (TAJÊ) was established in 2015 as an umbrella organization on the social, political and cultural levels.

The first women's army in Eastern Kurdistan

Women who struggle against the authoritarian mentality prevailing in Eastern Kurdistan and Iran continue their struggle on the social and military levels according to the mentality of a free woman.

The Women's Protection Forces of Eastern Kurdistan (HPJRK) was established in 2006 as the first women's army in Eastern Kurdistan and changed its name to the Women's Protection Forces (HPJ) in 2014.

The Women's Protection Forces (HPJ) developed the concept of women's defense and protection in Eastern Kurdistan and Iran based on the model of a democratic, ecological and women freedom-guaranteeing society.

"Women, Life, Freedom" and Eastern Kurdistan

In Eastern Kurdistan and Iran, the leader’s directive has been entrenched: “We always say that the conditions that separate women and life from their being and nature indicate the disintegration and collapse of society, and without solving this problem and mobilizing for freedom, the elements that we can call the revolution, the revolutionary party, the fighters and the leaders cannot play a role, but you must continue to teach and represent the mythical formula of freedom or (woman, life, freedom).”

Women in Eastern Kurdistan have taken new steps on the social level and in 2014 they founded the Free Women of Eastern Kurdistan (KJAR) and established an organizational network that includes all of Iran.

Following the killing of Shaler Rasouli (36 years old) on September 8, 2022, and the killing of Jina Amini (22 years old) on the 16th of the same month and year, a comprehensive uprising broke out in Eastern Kurdistan and all over Iran under the slogan “Women, Life, Freedom.” This uprising resonated throughout the world.

T/ Satt. a.k

ANHA