The second conference of the Kurdish women journalists' association ROJIN (Rojnamevanên Jinên Kurdistanê) took place in Brussels. The association was founded two years ago to coordinate and make more visible the work of women in the Kurdish media in Europe.

Due to the pandemic, the number of delegates to the conference was limited. The event began with a minute of silence for the journalists who died at work. Afterwards, political developments and media coverage were discussed.

In the discussion on political developments, it was pointed out that a third world war is currently taking place, in the center of which women stand. The capitalist system is trying to cope with the chaos of the 21st century, attacking nature, society and women. Women are affected by social, cultural and ideological feminicide, a discussion paper said and continued: "Women are murdered, displaced, raped, taken as spoils of war, sold in slave markets, put in prison, slandered, forced back into the domestic sphere and exploited as cheap labor. When they organize, they are attacked. All this is war. In return, women have become more conscious worldwide. They organize themselves and are active. Women are one of the parties in World War III, they want to change the system fundamentally and lead the social struggles. At this time it is of vital importance that women all over the world unite."

Deficits in reporting

In the discussion about the work of women journalists, the importance of the media for the women's liberation struggle was emphasized, as well as the fact that much more creativity and dynamism is needed in this regard. It was criticized that even in their own media the women's struggle often gets a raw deal and that not enough attention is paid to topics that actually require an uprising. It was pointed out that the women's perspective was not given enough space in the reporting. Another point of criticism was the use of language in the media, which does not address all parts of society.

Decisions for the coming period

Some of the decisions made at the conference are as follows:

To communize the agendas of women’s movements in Kurdistan and the world, to expose the local agendas through the press and make sure that they pave the way in the struggle of women.

To promote awareness of self-defense and self-organization against worldwide femicide and violence against women.

To expose the historical and ideological bases of the patriarchal system that maintains its existence through the absence of women and produces daily politics to this end.

To keep the ‘100 reasons to prosecute the dictator’ campaign launched by the TJK-E (Kurdish Women’s Movement in Europe) on the main agenda.

To organize workshops for professional and ideological awareness within ROJIN.

To empower local societal networks in consideration of the truth that organization is the basis of a woman-centered, rich and overall broadcasting.

To base on a multilingual and multicultural sense of broadcast, with Kurdish being in the first place.

To prepare a women’s press terminology dictionary for the establishment of a common press language.