Seminar affirms importance of YPJ's inclusion within Syrian constitution, Ministry of Defense

The Syrian Women's Council in North and East Syria organized a dialogue seminar on Thursday in Qamishlo city, as part of the "We Are All YPJ, and YPJ Represents Us" campaign launched by the Joint Events Platform of Women's Movements and Organizations, in support for the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) and to emphasize the necessity of their official recognition within the Syrian Ministry of Defense structure.

The seminar was attended by representatives of women's movements and organizations in the region, as the participants discussed the importance of establishing YPJ, the role it has played in protecting the region, and the potential repercussions of excluding or marginalizing it in the future.

The seminar began with holding a minute of silence before proceeding with two main themes; the history of YPJ's establishment and the political and constitutional implications of its non-recognition within the Syrian Ministry of Defense.

In the first session, Heifa Mahmoud; the co-chair of the Modernity and Democracy Party, spoke about the history of women in military service, emphasizing that women's participation in protection institutions was not merely a military experience, but rather a pivotal phase in the struggle to break down the stereotypes that confined women to secondary roles within society.

She made clear that the establishment of the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) on April 4th, 2013, came amid the escalating war in Syria and the threats posed by extremist groups. She noted that this step was an expression of women's right to defend themselves and their society after years of marginalization, violence, and male dominance.

Heifa Mahmoud emphasized that the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) were not only important militarily, but also had a significant impact on the social, cultural, and political realities of women, especially after their role in confronting ISIS mercenaries. This was accompanied by the emergence of female fighters who made great sacrifices during the years of the revolution in North and East Syria.

She noted that among the most prominent outcomes of this experience were boosting women's self-confidence and leadership abilities, breaking the male monopoly on military and security institutions, increasing women's participation in public and political life, and changing traditional views of women's roles in society.

In the second session, Amina Omer; the member of the Syrian Women's Council Coordination in North and East Syria, addressed the repercussions of not recognizing YPJ within the Syrian defense and constitutional framework.

She stressed that YPJ played a pivotal role in protecting the region and confronting extremist groups, making it essential not to exclude or marginalize it during any future integration or restructuring of Syrian military institutions.

She added that the official recognition of YPJ as a regular force within the Syrian Ministry of Defense is a legitimate right, especially given the continued threats posed by ISIS mercenaries and other extremist groups, as well as the persistent patriarchal mindset that continues to affect the lives of women in many Syrian regions.

Amina Omer warned that failing to include women's rights and the role of YPJ in the Syrian constitution could lead to a return to the pre-revolution status quo for women, posing a threat to their participation and presence in various aspects of political and social life.

The refusal to recognize YPJ was also deemed to stem from a monopolistic mentality that grants men alone the right to defend and make decisions, emphasizing that recognizing women within defense institutions means fully recognizing their rights within the Syrian constitution, and therefore, women's rights must be constitutionally enshrined.

Following the main sessions, the symposium witnessed interventions and discussions from the participants, focusing on the necessity of building a new structure for the Syrian army that guarantees women's participation in decision-making positions and ensures that the military institution is not the exclusive domain of one gender.

The participants called for intensifying local and international campaigns to garner support and recognition for women's right to defend and participate within state institutions, expressing at the same time their concerns about attempts to marginalize women and exclude them from the public sphere in Syria.

The symposium concluded with an affirmation of the commitment to continue the struggle and organize more events and activities aimed at ensuring the recognition of women's rights and their role in shaping the new Syria's future.

ANHA