Researcher on Arab affairs speaks about experience of Women’s Protection Units in Syria

Media professional and researcher on Arab and international affairs Suha Al-Baghdadi affirmed that the experience of the Women’s Protection Units in Syria represents an exceptional model in the region, as it was not limited to being a military formation and participating effectively in confronting ISIS, but rather evolved into a political and social project that redefined the role of women in a highly complex environment.

This came during an exclusive interview with our agency, where Suha Al-Baghdadi explained that the Women’s Protection Units proved their ability to engage on the most dangerous front lines—not merely as a support element, but as a principal actor in achieving victory.

The Political and Social Dimension

She added: “Politically, the Women’s Protection Units contributed to consolidating a representative model based on involving women in decision-making centers within the areas of the Autonomous Administration, which was reflected in issues such as gender justice, combating violence, and enhancing community participation.”

The Symbolic Impact of the Women’s Units Experience

Suha pointed out that more important than that is the symbolic impact of the Women’s Protection Units, as this experience broke the stereotypical image of women in conflict zones and presented them as an active force capable of both defense and construction at the same time.

Risks of Exclusion and Marginalization

Al-Baghdadi noted that any attempt to exclude the Women’s Protection Units cannot be understood apart from the broader context of women’s struggle in Syria. She continued by saying: “These units are not merely a military entity, but the accumulation of a long social and political struggle. Therefore, weakening or marginalizing them may be interpreted as reproducing traditional systems of exclusion.”

Al-Baghdadi explained that the impact would not be military only, but would also extend to the symbolic and moral sphere, as this could lead to a decline in confidence in the possibility of achieving sustainable feminist gains within conflict environments. It could also create a vacuum in the representation of women within future political equations, threatening the re-marginalization of their issues in any upcoming settlements.

YPJ as a Global Source of Inspiration

The researcher on Arab and international affairs explained that it cannot be denied that the experience of the Women’s Protection Units has become a source of inspiration for a number of feminist movements around the world, especially those active in conflict environments or conservative societies.

She continued, saying: “Talking about the end of the role of the Women’s Protection Units may carry dual implications. On the one hand, it may be viewed as the closing of a historical phase associated with confronting ISIS. But on the other hand, it may be understood as a negative message implying that strong women’s models remain temporary and dependent on exceptional circumstances.”

The Importance of the Continuity of the Women’s Protection Units

Suha Al-Baghdadi affirmed that herein lies the danger, because feminist movements draw inspiration not only from successes, but also from their continuity. Therefore, preserving the moral and political legacy of this experience is a necessity, even if its roles or forms change.

The Needs of the Current Stage

The researcher also stressed that today’s needs are no longer limited to physical protection, despite its importance, but include a broader system, including: Legal security, through legislation that protects women from violence and guarantees their rights.

Economic representation, because financial independence is the cornerstone of any genuine liberation, in addition to political representation, which guarantees the presence of a women’s voice within decision-making centers, alongside psychological and social support, especially in societies emerging from long conflicts.

Transformations in the Nature of Struggle

Suha Al-Baghdadi pointed out that the nature of struggle has changed. It is no longer necessarily an armed struggle, but has become a struggle with multiple tools—political, legal, media-related, and cultural.

She explained that the current stage requires a transition from the struggle for survival to the struggle for securing rights, and from acts of resistance to building institutions capable of protecting women’s gains in the long term.

The media professional and researcher on Arab and international affairs, Suha Al-Baghdadi, concluded her remarks by saying:

“What the Women’s Protection Units presented was not merely a passing experience, but a pivotal stage in the history of feminist struggle in the Middle East. The challenge today does not lie in preserving this experience, but in translating it into lasting achievements that ensure women do not return to square one with every new political transformation.”

ANHA