Leader Abdullah Ocalan: freedom of women is the most important issue of our time

Abdullah Ocalan sent a message for March 8, International Women’s Day, stating:

"In the coming era, this historic and honorable achievement must be built as a foundation for everything, and it is here that we must speak of the philosophy of ‘Women, Life, Freedom.’"

He continued:

*"I salute your struggle to make the 21st century the century of women!
The Call for Peace and Democratic Society on February 27, 2025, along with the Manifesto of Peace and Democratic Society, identifies women’s freedom as a fundamental issue in socialism and sees its contemporary resolution as the basis for solving all social problems. The women’s revolution is more important than any other cause; priority must be given to women’s freedom.

Women’s freedom is the most important issue of our time. Achieving a democratic society is the essential condition for attaining socialism, establishing democratic, equal, and free relations with women through the model of democratic modernity. Through the science of women, which we developed as the conceptual and theoretical framework, significant advances have been made. Yet the practical aspect of this policy the building of this model is our primary responsibility and mission.

It is crucial to establish a correct relationship between history, the present, and the future from a feminist perspective. Throughout history, social life has had a pivotal role due to the constructive power of mothers. This constructive force shaped human socialization. More importantly, humanity itself was built by women on a communal basis. This is highly significant and closely linked to women’s freedom today and in the future. These two points are essential for raising awareness about women’s enslavement and empowering women now and in the future. Additionally, it is necessary to understand how the social problem began.

Without understanding how women created a matriarchal, communal society, and how deliberate killers divided this society, initiating the history of women’s and society’s enslavement, one cannot create free women or build a democratic society. The matriarchal society is inherently a women’s society. The division of the matriarchal society by deliberate killers, followed by the rise of civilization, class, and state structures, represents nothing but women’s enslavement. Our starting point, by contrast, is to transform all the values lost in the matriarchal society into the foundation for a new society, civilization, and modernity through a communal-democratic understanding.

Thus, a correct discussion of socialism what we might also call the modernization of socialism is the most effective path to true socialism. The lack of a proper framework for addressing social problems in the theory of true socialism, along with the failure to properly conceptualize the matriarchal society, has hindered a correct analysis of the authoritarian civilization that arose on this basis. Therefore, the criticisms and solutions presented in the manifesto are extremely valuable. By building women’s freedom, ecological society, and a socialist democratic society opposed to capitalism the three pillars of democratic modernity, we can outline a proper socialist path. Only on this basis can a new declaration for the global socialist and anti-capitalist movements be formulated, and a new socialist democratic society with its proper organizational and activist framework be established.

Analyzing capitalism solely from the perspectives of surplus value, commodities, and commodification, as presented by Marx and other Marxists over the past two centuries, kept the analysis limited and contributed to the long-term practical failure of socialism. We have developed the concept of the "Queen of Commodities" to describe how the system uses women. Under capitalism, women were transformed into “queens of commodities,” making them productive elements within the system. Analyzing women in this way, rather than merely analyzing commodities, is the most accurate approach to understanding capitalism. Only then can a true theory of socialism be developed.

No commodity should be analyzed alone; women must be analyzed as the "Queen of Commodities." To define a system built on women, it is essential to clarify the process of commodifying women. Turning women into commodities, and gradually making them the "Queen of Commodities," is the root of the problem. The Manifesto of Peace and Democratic Society addresses women as the Queen of Commodities, not only highlighting literary or political aspects but aiming to understand how women were actually commodified. Under the state system, women are commodities, indeed the Queen of Commodities, because every part of their bodies was commodified separately, forming the basis for exploitation, alienation, and collapse.

The "Queen of Commodities" means the highest-value commodity. When needed, she is desired, admired, or loved; when not needed, she may be killed brutally. Often, the killer is her lover, father, or brother, revealing another tragic dimension. The series of murders called "femicide" is, in fact, the annihilation of women. It is rooted in the practices of deliberate killers who appeared in early history, men who attacked the communal society, killing and capturing children and women. Children were raised as slaves, and women were seen as objects of desire and became enslaved servants. Those who resisted or were deemed useless were killed brutally. Patriarchal unconsciousness legitimized this oppression of women, persisting to this day. When men oppress, kill, and use women as tools, they see this as their right. A profound contempt toward women exists; once there may have been respect, but it vanished with the development of capitalism. This is the mindset of the deliberate killer, and women must fully understand it to reach the truth of life.

In line with previous arguments, the manifesto attempts a theoretical analysis of this issue. Fundamentally, it must become a central focus of sociology. True sociology should prioritize women’s issues, and true socialism must be based on women’s issues. Socialism that does not start from women’s liberation cannot be true socialism based on freedom, equality, and democracy. If all freedom-related issues remain incomplete or unresolved, from individual to national freedom, it is primarily because liberation approaches centered on women, which form the basis of freedom and social freedom were not prioritized.

Historically, particularly in patriarchal history, women’s existence and problems were ignored, separating women from their historical reality as beings. Women were hidden in myths, philosophy, religions, sciences, and social institutions. Throughout history, including the modern era often described as the age of freedoms, women faced exclusion and existed only nominally. We sought to overcome this through “Jineology” the science of women as an ideology for women’s liberation. Jineology has been extensively discussed and enriched in academic and progressive media worldwide, achieving notable progress, though this must be seen as only a promising beginning. Consolidating this first correct step requires active political work.

Building the commune is vital for a free life. Theoretical analysis is essential, but achieving practical solutions based on sound principles is the foundation of a dignified, free life. The practical application of this theory is communalism. Free and dignified life can only be achieved by building communes across all aspects of life. Women’s freedom is inseparable from society’s freedom, with women and communal structures playing a central role. From women’s communes to all aspects of social life economy, health, education, language, culture, environment women’s constructive role is clear. Just as women built the matriarchal communal society in early human socialization, they can also achieve a new, updated commune today. Thus, communal construction should be women’s primary responsibility.

The manifesto’s core philosophy follows this approach. Women’s science and its applications are properly presented in the model of democratic civilization. Therefore, in the coming period, for the success of the new socialist movement, the socialism of democratic society, and the new international, women’s freedom must be given the highest priority. Each state must use its circumstances as a starting point to build programs and organizations.

In our struggle for our people’s existence and freedom, conducted under our conditions in other words, within our understanding of democratic modernity this issue has been a cornerstone, a fundamental step, and a daily practice. The great struggle in this field and the practices that have emerged from it are extremely valuable and historic. Undoubtedly, the free woman is the greatest value of freedom in our revolutionary efforts. A large number of women have emerged, challenging traditional lifestyles. Women must renew the foundations of the old communal society, cultivate the culture of the divine mother, and develop themselves with free will.

I have worked with young women, which has always been a source of courage for me. Women are the primary source of life. We say, “Women, Life, Freedom.” Women are the true makers of peace, capable of achieving peace and democracy, and building new life through communalism. Women are no longer commodities; they have become goddesses of freedom, living a free modern life. After thousands of years of being commodities, their transformation into goddesses of free life is a remarkable and praiseworthy achievement.

In the coming era, this historic achievement must be the foundation of everything. Here, we must speak of the philosophy of “Women, Life, Freedom.” Our starting point, based on this philosophy, is to make it more realistic and vibrant a foundation for all sacred values, a basis for liberating political steps, and a solution to all existing problems. The progress achieved in this field is extremely valuable, and we must do our utmost to make the next century the century of women’s freedom. There is no greater challenge than the struggle against a culture of rape that has roots extending tens of thousands of years.

I salute social democratic socialism and the struggle of free goddesses. I believe this sacred path will advance day by day toward great victory.

With these thoughts and sentiments, I celebrate March 8, International Women’s Day, honor the struggle of free women, and wish victory to all women participating in this struggle.

March 8, 2026
Abdullah Ocalan

ANHA