Reading leader Ocalan's books: Step toward women’s empowerment"

A group of women in Deir ez-Zor has completed reading the fifth volume of leader Abdullah Ocalan’s defenses, titled The Manifesto of Democratic Civilization – The Kurdish Question and the Democratic Nation Solution. The reading sessions were organized by the Zenobia Women’s Gathering Council and continued for a full week, with two-hour daily discussions held in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor.

 At the conclusion of the sessions, the participants delivered a message affirming that the goal was not reading for its own sake, but rather a concrete step towards change. They stated that the discussions formed a new intellectual foundation for a roadmap that emphasizes the woman’s role as a fundamental pillar in the democratic transition and the establishment of regional stability.

 Afraa Al-Saleh, one of the participants, stated that women's participation in these reading sessions is “not an optional step, but a vital necessity to confront current challenges.” She emphasized that the collective reading of the volume contributed to expanding the understanding of women’s issues beyond the narrow, traditional frameworks.

 She added, “Leader Abdullah Ocalan’s philosophy has provided us with a comprehensive vision for empowering women as leaders during a critical phase in NE Syria and the region at large.”

 For her part, Safaa Al-Ahmad, one of the organizers of the sessions, asserted that continuing to read Abdullah Ocalan’s defenses has become a strategic choice for women in Deir ez-Zor.

 “These defenses are not mere texts,” she said, “but a working guide that outlines the various roles women can play in the political, military, and social spheres, and how these roles can be mobilized to bring about radical change.”

 She also noted the group’s in-depth engagement with the concept of participatory democracy, which places women at its core according to Abdullah Ocalan’s vision.

 Khadija Al-Hamed described the fifth volume as “a roadmap for understanding the liberation project that links women’s emancipation to the transformation of society as a whole.” She stressed that highlighting the feminine dimension in political struggles is the true guarantee for a stable and just future.

 She concluded by saying, “Through this experience, we have proven that we are capable of shaping a collective consciousness that acknowledges women as partners—not as mere followers or marginal figures.”

 She called for expanding the scope of such sessions to include women from across the Middle East, emphasizing that “true liberation begins with a woman’s awareness of her rights and her capacity to lead change.”

a.k

ANHA