March 8 Events: Women are essential pillar for building free, democratic societies

With the approach of International Women's Day, which falls on March 8 of each year, a package of cultural, artistic and environmental events and activities was organized in the region of North and East Syria, under the slogan "With the free will of women, we end the policies of genocide, occupation and isolation."

Aleppo

The Aleppo Council of the Future Syria Party organized a dialogue symposium in the meeting hall of the Syrian Democratic Council, in the presence of dozens of members of civil institutions and independent figures in Aleppo, under the title “Participatory Life and Women’s Participation in Decision-Making.”

The topic of the symposium was preceded by a minute of silence, then the head of the Aleppo Council of the Future Syria Party, Khaleda Abdo, began by referring to the historical milestones that women have gone through and the incidents that paved the way for March 8 to be recognized as International Women’s Day.

She noted that the path of self-affirmation for women was full of great sacrifices, foremost among them the women leaders who are considered role models in the northern and eastern region of Syria, such as the activist Sakin Cansiz, Jian Tolheldan, Laila Qassim, and other revolutionaries who paved the way for the explosion of the women’s revolution in North and East Syria.

The discussion was then opened to the attendees, who expressed their opinions on the subject. Farida Zakaria, a member of Kongra Star, said that work must be done to transform the family into a mini-homeland that takes into account the opinions of all family members, thus giving the possibility of decision-making at the family level, and then spreading the experience to the homeland that brings together everyone.

As for Zahida Kour Ali, a member of the Martyr Shilan Council of Kongra Star, she stressed that women must be given the right to express their opinions and respect their privacy, to ensure that their decisions are respected.

Qamishlo

held in the meeting hall of the Canton Education Authority in the city of Qamishlo, attended by female members of the three councils (executive, legislative, and justice).

The lecture hall was decorated with the slogan, “With the free will of women, we end the policies of genocide, occupation, and isolation,” while the participating women wore their popular costumes.

At the beginning of the lecture, the head of the Women’s Committee in the Democratic Autonomous Administration DAA of Jazira canton, and a member of the Women’s Coordination, Avin Basho, spoke about the history of women and the attacks and policies of extermination practiced by the dominant male regime, in an attempt to distance them from their true nature and exploit them to serve their interests.

Regarding the reality of women after the outbreak of the July 19th Revolution, which was known as the Women’s Revolution, Avin Basho confirmed that in this geography of Syria, there is a revolution led by women, where the clutches of the male authoritarian system disappear and an existing democratic system is organized that takes women’s freedom as a basis.

Avin Basho also confirmed that the patriarchal system, of which the Turkish occupation state is a part, will fade and its foundations will be demolished in the face of the will and steadfastness of free women.

for her part, the President of the Executive Council of Jazira canton, Vivian Bahou Osi, highlighted the history and reasons for choosing March 8 as International Women’s Day.

For her part, member of the Kongra Star Coordination, Georgette Barsomo, explained that the history of the struggle and revolutionary march of women in the Middle East has historical roots that go beyond the framework of the official International Women’s Day, and she said: “Women’s resistance is derived from the region’s ancient history, in which women have been essential for thousands of years.”

Georgette emphasized that women in North and East Syria bear great responsibilities in order to spread the issue of women's liberation to all women of the world.

After that, allowing for contributions to the participants who renewed their pledge to struggle and continue the revolution in the face of the genocidal attacks and policies directed against them by patriarchal regimes, and to follow in the footsteps of the martyrs and martyrs of freedom until they achieve their goals.

The lecture concluded with the participants repeating the slogan “Women, Life, Freedom” in the Syriac, Kurdish and Arabic languages.

Manbij

For its part, the Council of the Zenobia Women’s Gathering, in coordination with the Municipal Authority in Manbij canton, organized a cleanliness campaign in the city of Manbij, to promote the culture of protecting the environment from pollution.

Members of the Zenobia Women’s Assembly Council, civil society organizations, and the Municipal Authority participated in the campaign, at the Free Women’s Roundabout, east of the city.

A member of the Democratic Society Organizations, Fatima Baku, said, "Since the liberation of the city of Manbij, the women of the region have been able to prove themselves at all levels and in all fields. We congratulate all the women of the world on their International Day, and we hope to celebrate next year with our leader Abdullah Ocalan."

Amira Agha, a member of the Zenobia Women’s Assembly Council, said: “We are here today to prove to the world that women are capable of making change, preserving the city and the environment, and giving a civilized and beautiful face to our city.”

In conclusion, the participants chanted, “Women, life, freedom,” and “Long live the resistance of free women.”

Ain Issa

Kongra Star in Girê Spi district organized a celebration in the Ain Issa district, attended by hundreds of district residents and Girê Spi IDPs. It was held in the public park in the center of the district, where it began with a minute of silence, followed by a speech by the administrator in the Kongra Star coordination, Ayat Al-Issa, in which she congratulated the woman in this occasion.

Ayat Al-Issa showed that women in North and East Syria were able to break the restrictions that prevented them from assuming their true role, and after the Rojava Revolution they were able to engage in struggle in all fields and areas, especially political and military, to liberate their gender from the injustice and slavery of male regimes.

She urged women in the occupied territories to revolt in the face of the violations that distorted the image of free women, returned them to decades of confinement at home, and restored the dominance of the male mentality over them.

During her speech, she called on women to follow the example of the female martyrs who sacrificed themselves “for the cause of the women’s liberation that they wanted.”

T/ Satt.

ANHA