The Co-Presidency of the KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council released a statement marking March 8, International Women’s Day.

The KCK statement saluting the resistance and struggle of all the women who are marching towards freedom with the slogan ‘Jin, Jîyan, Azadî’ [Woman, Life, Freedom] includes the following:

“We would like to congratulate the women of the world on March 8, the International Working Women’s Day, which is a symbol of women’s resistance and solidarity against all forms of exploitation by the male-dominated order. We salute the struggle of all women, which stands for the liberation of all humanity and nature, and wish them success. On this meaningful day, women all over the world, including the Middle East and Kurdistan, with their feelings of resistance and solidarity, will wage the most meaningful struggle for liberation in history and thus bring us closer to freedom.

All values created until today are the result of huge sacrifices, resistance and solidarity. March 8 was created and made meaningful by women’s resistance and struggle. Women have always taken a stance and resisted the male-dominated order. It is this historical resistance of women that gives hope to humanity and ensures the cycle of life. Women’s stance against all forms of exploitation and for the freedom of all humanity has left its mark on all history.

With the domination by the male-dominated mind over women through methods of deceit, deception and conspiracy, relations of exploitation began to enter human history. This fact can be observed concretely in history. In fact, the written and oral history of the male-dominated process tells us how women were subjugated and how the order of exploitation was established. This reality can be understood based on a reading of history that is free from the male-dominated perspective. The domination of women has also led to the domination and exploitation of the whole society and life. The desire to subjugate and exploit women, who constitute the basis for the development of life and society, has led to such a result. As the approach of domination and exploitation against women increased, the exploitation of society and the relations of domination and slavery deepened. This is another reality that history has shown us.

Another important fact that the history of humanity teaches us is that with the beginning of domination and exploitation, resistance and struggle also began and have continued until today. Women were not only the first sex, class and nation to be subjugated and exploited, but also the first sex, class and nation to develop an attitude of resistance. Women’s resistance against domination and exploitation has been the main subject of all epics, folk songs, mythology and art, and has left its mark on history despite the efforts of the male-dominated system to conceal and distort it. The resistance of women, which stands for the freedom of society and nature, has been the source of all the resistances that later developed and spread. Today, women’s leadership in the protection of society and the liberation of life against domination and exploitation proves this historical reality.

The system of capitalist modernity is a system that targets society the most and thus deepens exploitation. In this respect, it is the most advanced form of the male-dominated system. Because of its anti-social character, the capitalist system attacks women and women’s nature so much. Since the woman stands for life, fellowship and society, the male-dominated system carries out multidimensional attacks on women in order to destroy all these feelings and society completely. The male-dominated culture, oppression, exploitation and massacres that capitalist modernity has imposed on women’s nature tries to hide the misogynist reality by covering it with a false perception of freedom. This situation, which constitutes a great distortion, reflects the trickery, deception and conspiratorial reality of the male-dominated mind. Capitalist modernity is not only not libertarian, but represents the most exploitative and slavish system. March 8 has revealed this reality of capitalist modernity in its simplest form. March 8 has shown us that the overcoming of the male-dominated mind and order will only be achieved through the destruction of the capitalist system. Today, women’s growing resistance based on this consciousness of rejecting and overcoming the capitalist system – the most advanced male-dominated system – is the only way to liberate life, society and humanity.

By rejecting all modern and traditional approaches, Leader Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] has endeavored to understand the nature of women and to live correctly with them. This approach and effort of Leader Apo has allowed him to develop a deep understanding of women’s freedom. He has said that the emancipation of society is only possible through the emancipation of women and that life can be made meaningful in this way. Therefore, he has made great efforts for women to develop their own willpower and gain self-consciousness. Consequently, Leader Apo has defined his work and the revolution he leads as a women’s revolution and has revealed his approach to women by basing his paradigm on women's freedom. This approach of Leader Apo has determined the character of the Kurdistan revolution and ensured its development in line with women’s freedom. Leader Apo developed the paradigm based on women’s freedom not only for Kurdish women but for all women. That is why today women all over the world are interested in his ideas, are actively struggling for his physical liberation and support him. Leader Apo has been made a target of the forces of capitalist modernity because he rejects all kinds of male-dominated approaches and life and struggles for a new life based on women’s freedom. Therefore, it is very meaningful that women are taking the lead today in supporting Leader Apo. We consider these meaningful efforts of women who support Leader Apo’s freedom as an expression of their own freedom to be very valuable and we salute them.

Our movement struggles according to the line of women’s freedom on the basis of the paradigm put forward by Leader Apo and believes that a free and meaningful life lies in the freedom of women. Today, women, whose consciousness, will and organization have increased, have reached the level of leading the struggle for the liberation of humanity. The most concrete example of this is that women in East Kurdistan and Iran are leading the struggle for freedom, equality and democracy of the whole society. Everywhere now, society is coming together around women and sees its freedom in the freedom of women. Today, women leading social struggles show that we are very close to freedom. We believe that the woman who gains willpower, organizes and increases her struggle will make life free and abolish the order of exploitation. In a period when capitalist modernity, the most advanced form of the male-dominated system, has rendered society and nature uninhabitable and is experiencing total decay, this goal needs to be achieved today, not in some distant future.

On February 6, 2023, a huge earthquake centered in Kurdistan took place. While the Turkish state and the fascist AKP-MHP government have left the people to die, a very meaningful example of social solidarity and support led by women has taken place since. This example of solidarity has once again shown that women and peoples have great potential and that they possess the power to establish their own independent and free lives and administrations.

On March 8 this year, it is very important for women to show solidarity with the earthquake zones and to pioneer and increase social solidarity. Again – and more than ever – we would like to acknowledge and salute that they are waging a struggle against the male-dominated system, its fascism and all its other versions. Once again, we would therefore like to congratulate all the women of the world on March 8, International Working Women’s Day. On this occasion we would also like to salute the resistance and struggle of all the women who are marching towards freedom with the slogan ‘Jin, Jîyan, Azadî’.”