The feminist organization Gemeinsam Kämpfen released a statement marking 8 March, International Women’s Day. The statement titled “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî – Together we defend life!” includes the following:

“Today, March 8, 2023, we look forward to being on the streets with other struggling feminists in a variety of places. As Gemeinsam Kämpfen – Feministische Organisierung für Selbstbestimmung und Demokratische Autonomie (“Fighting Together - Feminist Organisation for Self-Determination and Democratic Autonomy”) we greet all struggling women and people of other oppressed genders worldwide!

“Gemeinsam Kämpfen” started nationwide a little more than 5 years ago. The goal was to make the ideas of the revolution of the self-governed region of Northern and Eastern Syria, also commonly known as Rojava, better known and defended in Germany. "Gemeinsam Kämpfen" has evolved into its own organization that goes beyond mere solidarity actions for Rojava, because we are learning from this revolution. We want to build a broad organization of women and people of other oppressed genders here as well, which sees itself in connection with all feminist struggles worldwide, and advances the liberation of life. We want to build alliances and networks that connect and strengthen our struggles in the spirit of living internationalism. It is our task to build a united anti-colonial force in the heart of Europe - a power center of global exploitation and oppression. It is our task to create a united force against global patriarchy. We are aware: we can only be free if everyone is free.

Since 2012, an alternative social system has now been lived in Rojava, in Northern and Eastern Syria. However, before this could be established, it took 35 years of hard, sacrificial work to build a determined organization, which could only happen mainly underground. The concrete experiences and successes of the women's revolution that have been made there for over 10 years now, and the history behind them, are also a great opportunity and hope for us.

So we are firmly convinced that another world, an ecological, gender-free and grassroots democratic world is possible, a world without war, hunger and violence. We understand self-management and grassroots democracy (the direct participation of people in the issues and decisions of their coexistence, for example within a neighborhood) as concrete emancipatory concepts and goals that we want to achieve again in our societies. And we say "again" because we joyfully discover through historical research that people all over the world once lived together according to these principles - in the long history of mankind before patriarchy. The magic word for this is: connectedness. With everything that lives.

The uprisings in Iran in recent months show us that the struggles for social liberation, led by women and youth, do not stop spreading. The slogan "Jin Jiyan Azadî" - Women Live Freedom - of the Kurdish women's movement has carried the idea of a revolutionary feminist awakening all over the world. Behind "Jin Jiyan Azadî" is a philosophy of its own, a revolutionary movement for the liberation of life itself, which carries at its core the liberation of women and all oppressed genders.

However, when members of the government now adorn themselves with the slogan "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî", this is not solidarity, but the attempt of the capitalist patriarchy to annex a strong protest movement in order to weaken it and maintain its own claims to power. If Annalena Baerbock lets herself be exalted for the return of bronze figures to the government of Nigeria, while a collective deportation from Germany to Nigeria takes place, this is a mendacious continuation of a racist and colonial interest policy. Just because German foreign policy is currently led by a woman does not mean that it is feminist. It remains patriarchal as long as it supports and profits from the current power order.

We are currently witnessing the intensification of global power struggles and the increase of warlike, patriarchal violence. Capitalism is in crisis right now, and this is our great opportunity. We need a fundamentally different social and economic system based on the real needs of people, not on capitalist profit interests. We need to understand and feel that we have been alienated from our nature and life and that we need to develop again a consciousness that puts life at the center, protects and preserves it. We need to build a system based on respect and connectedness between all living beings. This is not an accidental utopia, but the beauty of revolution.

To achieve our goals, we must organize together with all oppressed people across all borders, overcome our divisions, and find our strength and resilience in our diversity.

As Gemeinsam Kämpfen, we organize throughout Germany - including in the territory of the former GDR. It wasn't long ago in East Germany that there was a strong peace movement there, too, which rejected both the authoritarian GDR and the capitalist system and set out in search of a free, democratic socialism. And so, today we are all standing together again in the streets because we need change - here and around the world. Patriarchy is not without alternatives. The capitalist system is not without alternatives. What oppresses us today was once created by human hands, so we can abolish it. The feminist revolution in Rojava, which serves as a model for us, and all current liberation movements and uprisings must be defended with all our strength.

Let us remain organized. In doing so, let us stand side by side with the feminist revolution in Iran, Kurdistan and worldwide until it is successful. For us, too, the hour will strike here once again! And our determination will be decisive for it.

The fact that we come together at different places today is an important step. We are joining together to create change, to fight together. We need to strengthen the responsibility and belief in those around us and within us that another world is possible - and that we are all this world together. We are unstoppable, another world is possible!”