Ramziya Mohammed: with spirit of July 19 Revolution, women will continue for Syria's future

The first sparks of the revolution were launched in the city of resistance Kobani, in Rojava, on July 19, 2012. Since then, the revolution has been spreading in North and East Syria, creating new prospects for both society in general and women in particular to claim their legitimate rights and fight for freedom. Indeed, the revolution has been facing many obstacles and difficulties, especially after the collapse of the Ba'ath regime and the emergence of a new power.

In the context of launching the revolution, facing many obstacles, the greatest gains of women so far, and their role in the upcoming phase, Ramziya Mohammed, Co-Chair of TEV-DEM, gave an interview to ANHA.

She said that "July 19 Revolution has become a revolution for all the women. When a woman defends her society and homeland, she gives motivation and hope to all the women. A woman engineer working on her profession and developing the society represents the new identity of women. Women took part in the revolution in all fields, especially in the economic one. Women have become doctors, teachers, and provide services to society in countless ways, exposing the true identity of the revolution and its real motivation to occur.

"The most important thing about the July 19 Revolution is the involvement of women in the positions of decision-making. Women have taken the lead in making decisions by means of the co-chair system, making joint decisions that shape the future of the revolution not only in Rojava but also in Syria. The co-chair system has struck a blow to authoritarian thinking. Instead of authoritarian thinking, a society has been built up that corresponds to the culture and identity of the components of the region. Accordingly, a number of activities and projects have been organized for the future of the region and protection of the revolution gains."

Moreover, Ramziya Mohammed said that those women who were in favor of staying in Rojava supported it with great determination and became the examples for others and symbols of the revolution, embodying the real essence of the revolution.

She said that, as the Co-Chair of the Democratic Society Movement TEV-DEM, that the women of Rojava protected the region and the people there at the time of extreme hardship and led them to light although they had no previous experience and there was not a stable system which could protect women and society. She went on to say that through the revolution, all this reality changed into the establishment of a democratic system and a model which got international fame and invited many internationalists to join the July 19 Revolution of Rojava, such as Lekrîn, Sara, and Hêlîn, who got martyred for freedom.

Ramziya pointed out that both patriarchal family structures and statist mentality stood as obstacles before women, making it necessary for them to summon tremendous strength to step beyond the confines of the home and engage actively in public life, so that society could recognize women's vital role in leading the revolution, administration, and defense. She continued:

"The clearest example of this is the establishment of the Women's Protection Units (YPJ). Alongside the defense system, women's diplomatic efforts also emerged, enabling women to represent the revolution in international forums and official meetings on every level."

Regarding the challenges women faced, Ramziya explained that the statist mentality sought by every means to strip the revolution of its essence and therefore targeted women through every available method and what she described as immoral practices.

She said "Many leading women and pioneers were targeted, including the martyrs Hevrin Khalaf, Zahra Berkel, Jiyan Tolhildan, Yusra Darwish, and Liman Shuweysh."

She added that the primary objective of these attacks was to halt women's progress and instill fear among women. However, women confronted these challenges with determination, resistance, and a spirit of struggle. They intensified their efforts, strengthened solidarity among themselves, and formed a united front dedicated to advancing toward freedom, preserving the achievements of the revolution, and ensuring its ultimate victory.

Ramziya emphasized that the co-chair system is one of the greatest achievements of the July 19 Revolution. She noted that implementing this system initially encountered many difficulties due to the absence of a mentality that believed in women's capabilities, as women were viewed merely as assistants or deputies to men. Through their work, sacrifices, and unwavering commitment to freedom, however, women proved their ability to participate alongside men in managing society's affairs, particularly in administration, while also demonstrating their capacity to propose projects that contribute to social development.

She added that reaching this stage required enormous effort and struggle, especially in ensuring the success of the Democratic Nation project. She stressed that achieving victory and implementing a democratic society system require women to continue demonstrating determination and perseverance.

Ramziya also pointed out that the Ba'athist regime exerted tremendous pressure on both society and women, showing no interest in empowering women or involving them in decision-making positions. The July 19 Revolution, however, transformed this reality by opening the door for women's broader participation.

She added that Syria is now entering a new phase aimed at building a new political system. However, the current dialogue process and ongoing political efforts do not reflect a democratic approach or embody the change sought by Syria's diverse communities throughout the years of crisis and revolution.

She stressed that the same pattern is repeating itself, as the mentality advocating the dominance of a single component, a single culture, and a single identity remains present, while women continue to be excluded, marginalized, and kept away from decision-making positions.

Ramziya affirmed that changing this reality requires greater resistance and struggle not only from Kurdish women but from women of all communities, each within her own region and through her own role and work.

She added that every woman capable of raising her voice and standing in solidarity with other women contributes to strengthening the struggle. Women's determination, she said, is what will ultimately enable them to assume their rightful place and fulfill their role across all institutions and sectors.

She explained that this continued struggle will compel the interim government to provide women with genuine opportunities to participate in decision-making positions. Although a limited number of women currently hold positions within the interim government's institutions, they do not possess real decision-making authority or independent will.

She concluded by emphasizing that, in her view, women's struggle and resistance are the path toward bringing both Syria and its women to safety, achieving lasting peace, and building a pluralistic, decentralized Syria. She stressed the importance of preserving the achievements of the July 19 Revolution and continuing the struggle in its spirit to build the Syria of the future.

ANHA