The Kurdistan Women's Community (KJK) has issued a statement to mark 25 November, the International Day Against Violence Against Women. In the statement, the umbrella organization of Kurdish women analyzed international developments as well as the situation in the four parts of Kurdistan.

The KJK listed the points that it believes are relevant in the global women's liberation struggle and said: “We celebrate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in the shadow of conflicts and wars triggered by male-dominated understanding. The male-dominated system and dictatorial regimes around the world have made violence a goal of protection and the exercise of power. The patriarchal system is driving our world towards destruction in a spiral of violence, feminicide, ecocide, genocide, sexism, racism, war and conflict. In essence and in practice it is a war against women. In Palestine, Nagorno-Karabakh and in Kurdistan, especially in Rojava, society is exposed to massacres, displacement and migration. Habitats are destroyed as well as cultural and social memory. We condemn this policy of massacres and genocide carried out for the benefit of male power and we declare that we will fight against it anywhere and at any time.”

In Kurdistan, women are a constant target

The statement added: “Massacres and violence, which have their origins in fanatical religious, racist and sexist politics, continue in Kurdistan to the extent of genocide. The absolute isolation and 25-year imprisonment of Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan], the architect of our women's revolution, on the island of Imrali, the murder of our pioneers in Bakur, Başûr and Rojava [in the north, south and west of Kurdistan] through assassinations and an asymmetrical war technology, a special war policy against young women, sexual violence and torture and sexist attacks are the most concrete practices of misogyny in our country. Women are the target of the colonialist, fascist and ISIS mentality-driven system in the four parts of Kurdistan.”

The statement then listed the issues related to the various parts of Kurdistan and the international developments.

“Bakur

In Bakur, the progress of the women's revolution is trying to be stopped by criminalizing the co-chair system, and jailing women's institutions, women parliamentarians, mayors, journalists and activists. In Turkey, which tops the list of countries with the most prisoners, there are 13,977 women and 2,511 children in prison. In November, the number of femicides reflected in official data was 234. These acts of violence and massacres are legitimized and, at best, defined as abuse; the politics of violence and rape are almost toned down and normalized.

Rojava

The self-government system in Rojava, based on democratic confederalism, in which the active participation of women reaches 60 percent, is tried to be rendered dysfunctional. In October, the fascist AKP regime targeted 50 percent of electricity, water and energy resources, depriving a total of two million people of their basic needs. Combating violence against women remains an important priority for Rojava and the autonomous region of northern and eastern Syria.

Rojhilat

In Rojhilat, the misogynistic Iranian regime wants to break the influence of the slogan Jin Jiyan Azadî [Woman Live Freedom] heard around the world by increasing the threats of execution and the oppression of women. The execution of 17 women this year and the kidnapping of KJAR activist Varishe Moradi by Iranian regime forces, are the most concrete example of the climate of fear that the regime wants to spread.

Başur

In Başûr (South Kurdistan), women are exposed to the attacks of capitalist modernity. The mentality that gives room to religious and sexist orientations leads to an increase in attacks on life. The desire to hide the increasing number of violent acts every day also leads to the spread of violence. The fascist Turkish state continues uninterrupted attacks on Shengal, which has fought for its existence through self-government and self-defense against the ISIS genocide, essentially taking over the struggle of the women of Shengal.

Internalization of women into the system

Not only in our country, Kurdistan, but all over the world, there is a policy of internalizing women into the system using various methods and instruments. One dimension of this policy is to silence women economically and socially by allowing them to participate in the male-dominated system. It is noteworthy that in each period in which the struggle of women on a global scale increases, different perspectives, tendencies and practices come to the fore that emphasize the ideological contradictions and obscure or obscure the priorities and commonalities. In this way, women are supposed to be prevented from resisting male dominance.

Self-critical approach

The only way to combat this is to move forward together in resistance to this system that is waging war on women. The development of the women's struggle, which has reached a high level of organization and solidarity and is opposed to violence, the politics of humiliation of women and the male-dominated system at the global, regional and local levels, has frightened the system. The male-dominated mind immediately acted and tried to weaken the women's struggle by, on the one hand, drawing women into the system and, on the other hand, escalating violence and feminicide. This should also be understood as a self-critical approach. It is clear that to defeat this policy we must focus on the points that connect rather than divide. On this occasion, we invite all women fighting for women's freedom to review this situation, unite by building stronger and lasting alliances, and lead the fight together. We say it's time to get back up, and much stronger.

Our attitude and our call

As women who want to make the 21st century an era of women's liberation, we say: Let us use 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, as an opportunity to organize ourselves more, expand alliances and actions, and... to come together!

Let us continue our fight against all mentalities and practices of the male-dominated system in order to illuminate the lives that are intended to be darkened by violence, femicide, genocide, war and massacres!

Instead of limiting women's resistance and struggle to certain days, borders and times, let us make every moment a time for women's freedom.

Let's develop our self-defense. As the revolution in Rojava proves, self-defense is the only way to protect ourselves from male-state violence in all areas of life.

Let's stop the politics and wars based on religious fanaticism, racism and sexism with joint actions and activities at local, regional and global levels!

Let us strengthen our work to raise awareness based on Jineoloji as a science of women and life and women's liberation ideology!

From Kurdistan to Palestine, from Afghanistan to Armenia

From Kurdistan to Palestine, from Afghanistan to Armenia, we will defeat every policy of war, aggression, genocide and feminicide. Aware that the prerequisite for peace is freedom, we as women will once again take the lead in the radical fight for peace. Women's liberation struggle is always the guarantee of a "deep democracy" whose borders are drawn not by states but by peoples. We will be the builders of the democracy that peoples, women and the oppressed long for.

Men who want to free themselves from the traps of patriarchy

What is also important for us is the attitude of men who want to free themselves from the traps of the male-dominated system, who support the slogan Jin Jiyan Azadî all over the world, who break the mould of male supremacy and strive to support the march of women into the freedom to accompany. We will make men's transformation part of women's freedom.

No life without women and freedom

On the occasion of 25 November, we remember with respect and gratitude all women who fell in the women's liberation struggle and all women who were murdered by male-state violence. As the Freedom Movement of Kurdistan Women, we say that we will stop the massacre of women by expanding our self-defense and organization. We women are the pioneers of democratic, modern resistance against the patriarchal system and state-class civilization. We have found a magical formula to change the world: we will not accept a Jiyan (life) without Jin (woman), a Jiyan without Azadî (freedom)."