Zenobia Women’s Gathering: “Woman, Life, Freedom” Uprising goes global

The “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprising erupted on September 16, 2022, following the killing of the young Kurdish woman, Jina Amini, by Iran’s so-called “Morality Police.” What began as a protest in Iran quickly grew into a mass women-led movement whose echoes spread across the globe.

In this context, Nour al-Huda, the member of the Training Committee in the Zenobia Women’s Gathering in Raqqa, emphasized that the uprising yielded vital lessons. She stated: “The uprising proved that women can ignite the spark of change in society,” underscoring that women’s issues are not marginal, but lie at the heart of the struggle for freedom and dignity.

She added that this movement demonstrated the transformative power of sacrifice and courage in mobilizing society and breaking the wall of fear. According to her, women’s resistance in this uprising brought about a profound shift in how women’s issues are understood, elevating them into a major political and human rights cause that compelled the world to address women’s rights and freedoms.

The uprising also inspired younger generations, granted women a leadership role in popular mobilization, and generated a global wave of solidarity reflected in the actions of cities and capitals worldwide

For her part, Training Committee member Zainab al-Hassan noted that women played a decisive role in transforming the uprising into a border-transcending movement. Through their courage in the streets and symbolic leadership in discourse, they transformed what was once a local issue into a universal human cause and became a voice for freedom and justice against tyranny and discrimination.

She further pointed out that the impact of the uprising extended into politics, society, and culture, raising levels of women’s empowerment and sparking broader debates on equality and rights—even in the absence of sweeping legislative reform.

Another Training Committee member, Bushra al-Ali, acknowledged the continuing challenges, stressing that women still face restrictive laws that obstruct equality. Nonetheless, she affirmed that the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom” provided renewed momentum for women’s and human rights movements worldwide, reinforcing the principle that women’s freedom is inseparable from the freedom of society as a whole.

She added that the uprising in Rojhilat (Eastern Kurdistan) and Iran had far-reaching international consequences, compelling governments and organizations to prioritize women’s issues within their political and human rights agendas. It also strengthened cross-border solidarity among women, bolstered by global movements.

Regarding the safeguarding of women’s achievements, al-Ali stressed that the path forward lies in the continuous documentation of violations, building local and international alliances, linking women’s demands to broader struggles for social justice and democracy, and investing in women’s economic, educational, and political empowerment to ensure the sustainability of the struggle.

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ANHA