Combating violence activities highlight women's deteriorating situation in occupied areas of Syria

The activities commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women continue in North and East Syria, under the slogan "Together, We Build a Democratic, Communal Society to End Violence."

The cities of Qamishlo, Derik, and Jel Agha in Jazira canton, as well as Raqqa, Tabqa, and Aleppo, witnessed a series of diverse activities, including awareness lectures, public meetings, and dialogue sessions aimed at strengthening community awareness and supporting efforts to protect and empower women.

Qamishlo

The Women's Council of the Future Syria Party organized a dialogue seminar on Wednesday in al-Qira'a (The Reading) Garden in Qamishlo, with the participation of representatives from political parties, civil society organizations, and members of the Future Syria Council.

The seminar was moderated by the Women's Council's vice president, Nashmi Temo, and the Council's spokesperson, Maram al-Ali, while Walida Ismail, the co-chair of the Future Syria Party in Qamishlo delivered the lecture.

Walida Ismail presented an in-depth analysis of the concept of violence against women as a form of alienation from the self and human values, emphasizing that resisting violence begins with restoring human connection through reflection, writing, existential dialogue, and building societies based on participation and equality.

She also highlighted that violence is not a recent phenomenon, but rather a social and historical legacy accumulated over the ages as a result of male dominance and the erosion of the values of human partnership. This necessitates reconstructing historical narratives and launching reconciliation projects between the two genders based on equality.

Liberation of consciousness

Walida pointed out that resisting violence begins with liberating consciousness, through reading history from a partnership perspective, dismantling the languages of domination in everyday culture, and establishing relationships based on freedom and shared responsibility within the family and society.

She emphasized the necessity of reshaping social systems, so that marriage contracts and local communities are based on the values of shared leadership and a welfare economy.

Law, society, and empowerment

During her discussion of the pivotal role of law in protecting women, Walida Ismail emphasized the necessity of providing legislation with ethical values to prevent it from becoming a tool of oppression.

She also stressed the importance of women's social and intellectual empowerment, building just institutions focused on reform and accountability, and strengthening economic support networks that guarantee women's independence.

She addressed the role of women's academics (Women's Studies – Jineology) in rewriting history from women's perspective, liberating knowledge from male bias, and making women active participants in knowledge, contributing to building new values for society.

She affirmed that breaking the monopoly on power begins with implementing the principle of co-chairmanship in all institutions, ensuring women's voices are present in daily decision-making.

The importance of women's economic cooperatives in building a self-sufficient and independent social economy was also emphasized.

Walida explained that self-defense extends beyond security to include intellectual and social protection from value alienation, and that true justice is based on reconciliation and repairing the social fabric, not on revenge or perpetuating violence.

The lecture addressed the most prominent types of social violence against women:

The physical violence, verbal violence, digital violence, psychological violence, sexual violence, economic violence, domestic violence, minors' marriage, and societal violence.

The seminar highlighted thousands of women worldwide, including Rojava women, who have sacrificed their lives for freedom, such as Beritan, Zilan, Sara, Leyla, Fidan, Hevrin Khalaf, and others, who have become symbols of women's struggle for a free and democratic society.

The seminar concluded with an open discussion, during which presented their perspectives on ways to reduce violence and strengthen women's role in building a democratic society based on partnership and justice.

Aleppo

For its part, the Diplomatic Relations Committee of the Kongra Star issued a statement in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood of Aleppo, which was read in Arabic and Kurdish by committee administrator Mona Kabak and member Zahra Hamo.

The statement reaffirmed the Kongra's commitment to the feminist struggle and commemorated the Mirabal sisters as a symbol of the struggle against violence against women. It noted that the situation of women in Syria, particularly in areas controlled by Turkey and its mercenaries, is deteriorating rapidly, with increasing violations; kidnapping, arbitrary arrest, torture, and sexual and domestic violence, resulting from the absence of the rule of law, the weakness of the judiciary, and widespread impunity.

The statement emphasized that women's issues are an essential part of democracy and justice, and that no project for change will succeed without guaranteeing women's rights and their active participation.

Through its statement, the Diplomatic Relations Committee of the Kongra Star called upon international powers, UN organizations, and diplomatic missions to:

Exert pressure to incorporate international agreements, the foremost of which are the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and UN Security Council Resolution 1325 into Syrian legislation to guarantee full equality.

Supporting feminist initiatives that seek to build peace and enhance the political and social participation of Syrian women.

Strengthening awareness and education programs that empower women to defend their rights.

Supporting local, women-led initiatives to combat violence and discrimination as a cornerstone of genuine change.

The statement concluded by emphasizing that combating violence is not a one-day event, but rather an ongoing commitment until freedom, justice, and equality are achieved for all women, stressing that the struggle of Syrian women is part of the struggle of women worldwide.

In the city of Jel Agha, the Kongra Star organized a large meeting that included residents of the city and its surrounding villages. The meeting, held at the Democratic Union Party (PYD) center, was attended by a large number of citizens and members of civil and political organizations.

During the meeting, Amal Shamdin, the member of the Kongra Star, delivered a speech commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. She addressed the causes, effects, and types of violence, noting that this phenomenon is not new, rather, it arose with the emergence of the state and authority, which established a hierarchical and class-based system within society. This system created inequality not only between the two genders, but also among different segments of society, leading to a lack of social justice and equality.

Shamdin emphasized that violence does not only target women, but also affects the entire social structure, making confronting it a collective responsibility that falls on all members of society. She also reviewed the efforts undertaken by the Autonomous Administration to address this phenomenon by restoring women's leading role in society and enacting specific laws that guarantee gender equality.

She concluded by emphasizing that, thanks to the guidance of leader Abdullah Ocalan, women have become prominent in various fields of life and play a pivotal role in building a just and democratic society.

Derik

In the same context, the Kongra Star organized a lecture on Wednesday at the Dijlah Center for Culture and Art in the city of Derik, addressing forms of violence against women and ways to confront it, and dozens of Derik residents attended.

The lecture began with holding a minute of silence, followed by a speech delivered by Zallokh Bakr, the co-chair of the Union of Intellectuals in Derik. In her remarks, she emphasized the necessity of achieving freedom for all women and empowering them to play an active role in all fields to reduce the violence perpetrated against them.

She stressed that the time has come to end this mentality, adding that women in the North and East Syria Region have been able to overcome this mindset. She emphasized the importance of sharing this experience with women who still face oppression.

The lecture concluded by emphasizing the need to raise awareness and reach all women to put a definitive end to violence against women.

Tabqa

The Martyrs' Families Council in Tabqa canton organized an awareness lecture addressing the concept of violence against women, its forms, and its repercussions on society.

The lecture was held at the Martyrs' Cemetery Hall, attended by members of the Martyrs' Families Council, mothers of peace, and representatives from the Zenobia Women's Gathering Council in the canton.

After holding a minute of silence in honor of the martyrs, Waad Mohamed, the member of the Martyrs' Families Council, presented an overview of the lecture's axes, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness about the various forms of violence women face. She stressed that combating this violence is a crucial and fundamental step towards building a free society.

After that, Faten al-Sheikh Nasser, the member of the Women's Office of the Martyrs' Families Council, read the lecture's content, as she explained that violence against women constitutes an interconnected system of physical, psychological, and social practices rooted in a long history of domination. She clarified that it is not limited to direct assault but also includes verbal, economic, and digital forms of violence, in addition to the structural violence imposed by customs and traditions whose essence lies in control and the undermining of women's humanity.

The lecturer confirmed that confronting this violence requires a new awareness based on participation and mutual respect, along with cultural reform that re-examines inherited narratives, effective legislation that protects women, and empowerment that guarantees their presence and participation in public life. She added that eliminating violence against women is a fundamental step towards building a more just and humane society.

The lecture concluded with chanting the slogan, "Long Live Women's Resistance."

J.J

ANHA