Kongra Star holds its organizational conference in Qamishlo

Today, Kongra Star held its organizational conference for the city of Qamishlo and its rural areas. The event saw a large turnout, including Kongra Star members, representatives from various women’s organizations and institutions, and delegates from political parties in the city. The conference aimed to assess the organization’s current status, identify shortcomings that emerged during the previous period, and develop effective solutions to address them all as part of a broader initiative to restructure the organization and bolster women’s collective presence.

Furthermore, the conference emphasized the necessity of organizing women, particularly given the significant changes currently unfolding in the region while advocating for women’s participation at all levels and the constitutional entrenchment of their rights.

The conference took place at the headquarters of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Qamishlo. It began with a minute of silence in honor of the martyrs. This was followed by an address on behalf of the Kongra Star coordination committee, delivered by Gulistan Kelo, who opened her remarks by commemorating all the martyrs and paying tribute to their sacrifices, which have played a pivotal role in the current phase.

She further noted that, at present, there remain forces that target both women and the will of the peoples in the region. Gulistaan pointed to the ongoing integration process, which carries risks such as the marginalization of women  stemming from the mindset of the interim administration, which tends to exclude women from decision-making positions. She stated, "We must strive harder to constitutionally entrench women's rights, ensuring their meaningful and genuine participation in society and within all administrative and organizational institutions."

Kulistan concluded her remarks by reaffirming a commitment to continue the work and struggle empowered by women’s strength until the goals aspired to by the Congress are achieved.

Following this, directives from leader Abdullah Ocalan were read, which addressed the core of the women's struggle and provided an assessment of the social and political status of women.

This was followed by the presentation of the annual report for "Kongra Star" (Star Congress) in the city of Qamishlo, delivered by Dalal al-Hashimi. The report evaluated the political and organizational situation throughout a full year of the Congress’s activities in the city.

Zozan al-Ali, a member of the Presidential Council of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), also delivered a speech at the conference. She highlighted the historical role women have played in navigating the developments that have unfolded in the region throughout the years of the revolution.

She added, "A strong woman is one who confronts the threats directed at her and her hard-won gains. Given that the recent period has been defined by the presence and influence of women, we see today how they face various forms of violence and exclusion across all regions; indeed, a strong, struggling woman is a source of fear for the oppressive, patriarchal mindset."

Zozan emphasized that there must be no retreat from demanding women's rights. Instead, she urged a steadfast commitment to the cause until all goals are realized, equality is attained, and society is restored to its rightful, original standing. The conference continued by discussing the organizational situation; delegates evaluated past activities and initiatives, noting that they could have yielded better results. Discussions also focused on the tasks incumbent upon the organization and how to strengthen it, alongside the proposal of programs to serve as an action plan for the coming phase.

The conference concluded with elections for a new leadership body to oversee the organization’s operations in Qamishlo, resulting in the election of five new spokeswomen for the city.

ANHA