4th conference of Internal Security Forces – Women kicks off 

The conference began a short while ago in the Serdem Hall in Hasakah, in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, with over 300 participants from women’s organizations and movements, including the Kongra Star and the Zenobia Women’s Gathering, alongside representatives from the Women’s Protection Units, the Autonomous Administration, and the Martyrs’ Families Council. The event is held under the slogan: “With the philosophy of women, life, freedom, we will achieve the physical freedom of Commander Apo.”

The conference opened with a minute of silence, followed by the opening speech delivered by Fawza Yousef, a member of the Democratic Union Party’s presidential body. She congratulated all women demanding freedom, particularly members of the Internal Security Forces – Women, emphasizing those who work to maintain security and protect the community and the region.

Fawza Yousef explained that since the beginning of the revolution, women have played a significant role in building a free society, noting that the Internal Security Forces – Women were established entirely through women’s efforts to provide protection for themselves and their communities.

She highlighted the pressures and violations committed against women in general, and Syrian women in particular, stating: “Women have been subjected to blockade from all sides, but in North and East Syria, they have managed to break this blockade, take real steps toward freedom, and reject the mentality that marginalizes them.”

Fawza Yousef stressed the importance of women trusting their willpower and taking pride in their strength, adding: “The comrades who have worked and continue to work in this institution (Internal Security Forces – Women) have played a historic role in raising awareness about equality and justice, and have struggled to restore women’s freedom and guarantee their rights.”

She affirmed that the North and East Syria region enjoys security and stability, praising the role of the Internal Security Forces – Women in maintaining it. She noted: “The situation in Syria remains unstable. Daily incidents of murder, sexual assault, and abduction continue, amid the absence of women’s rights in the constitution and weak representation in the transitional government, reflecting the government’s inability to protect women and ensure their rights.”

Regarding current developments, she emphasized that disarmament is not on the agenda until a constitution guaranteeing the rights of all Syrian components is established, institutions are activated, and an organized army is built.

She called for expanding the number of Internal Security Forces and developing their capabilities in various fields, enabling every woman to learn ways to protect herself in all aspects of life.

She stressed that protection should include all women, not just those within the Internal Security Forces, adding: “Weak and uneducated women cannot protect themselves. The holding of this conference is an important step at a time when efforts are being made to remove women from their work and intimidate them.”

She reaffirmed their determination to follow in the footsteps of the martyrs who made great sacrifices for freedom, noting that the conference’s outcomes must result in significant decisions that strengthen women’s rights and advance their freedom.

The conference activities are ongoing, with speeches from the Democratic Autonomous Administration institutions, and will conclude with a final statement.

A-H 

ANHA