More than 11,000 women conduct awareness campaigns of Zenobia Women's Gathering in Raqqa, Tabqa

As a contribution to efforts by Zenobia Women's Gathering towards building women and their organizational power, the group carried out two mass campaigns in North and East Syria's Raqqa and Tabqa cantons. Approximately 11,565 women participated in 814 meetings.

The Campaign in Tabqa District

The campaign, which started under the name "Towards a Cohesive Society through Women's Organization," started on August 14 and ended on September 14, targeting Tabqa City neighbourhoods and villages in order to cover the greatest number of women in the various parts administratively belonging to the district.

The campaign touched 80 villages and all the Tabqa city neighborhoods, and 337 meetings with 4,660 women were held. The meetings were for deliberating women's social, economic, and political matters and informing them of the dangers of violence against women and ensuring that they provide a secure environment that guarantees women the liberty to exercise their rights.

The importance of education and labor was also emphasized in acquiring economic independence for women, establishing a dignified life for themselves and their families, and opening the door for women's entry into various fields of public life.

The Campaign in Raqqa Canton

The Raqqa Canton campaign kicked off on August 10 and ran through September 10. It targeted areas of working-class inhabitants, villages, and refugee camps, as well as within Raqqa city, and covered the largest possible number of women in all areas and regions. The total number of meetings was 477, with 6,905 women from 105 villages participating.

Discussions were focused on expanding women's participation in councils to be represented in decision-making positions, and economic and social empowerment within unified organizational frameworks under the administration hierarchy of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.

The campaign also included a series of demands raised by women, of most significance a demand for ongoing campaigns as they are an imperative requirement for women to raise their awareness and make them aware of their inherent rights. The members of the campaign reiterated that organization is a question of survival to protect their gains and secure their active membership, form economic empowerment campaigns by way of small projects, create educational campaigns to fight for women's education and work rights, and secure their membership in councils.

Campaign Results

One of the achievements of the campaign initiated by the Zenobia Women's Gathering in the areas of Raqqa and Tabqa was the heightened consciousness among women who participated in meetings held under the campaign, the transmission of those kinds of visions to other women within the villages and neighborhoods, and the solidification of the role of the women's organizations to lay the ground for subsequent larger projects.

Bushra Muhammad, the head of the General Coordination of the Zenobia Women's Gathering, at the close of the campaign stated that "the women's reaction during the meetings carried out throughout the campaign was overwhelming and encouraging, affirming a real demand for change and self-organization."

She concluded by saying, "We thank all the families who came and participated in these meetings, and all the women who showed their potential for giving without limits. Thanks to all those who believed that our future begins with our shared steps."

On October 12, the Kongra Star and Zenobia Women's Gathering launched a Syrian women's campaign entitled "With an Alliance of Women, We Will Build a Free, Democratic, and Decentralized Syria." The campaign will happen in three phases and will come to a close on November 12, which is a new milestone towards organizing the work of women across Syria.