The Peace in Kurdistan Campaign issued a statement to extend its solidarity greeting with Kurdish women on 8 March, International Women's Day.

The statement said: "International Women’s Day gives an opportunity for women everywhere to demonstrate their historic demands for full equality with their male counterparts and it represents the unshakable desire shared by all humanity for freedom and a better world where people will control of their own lives, communities and resources.  

Women from across Kurdistan will be out in force taking part in rallies, marches, demonstrations and organising all kinds of activities to express their demands for liberation, justice and equality along with their sisters from all over the world who will be holding similar actions driven by the same spirit of hope and desire for freedom and an end to violence against women." 

The statement added: "In Kurdistan, International Women’s Day takes on a special unique character as it offers a rare opportunity for Kurdish women to demonstrate their historic demands for national liberation in countries where their basic human rights remain savagely repressed and subject to horrific levels of violence.

Kurdish women will join with their male comrades and brothers in collective expressions of defiance against state forces that fear popular resistance and repress their basic rights and freedoms.  

Peace in Kurdistan stands in solidarity with Kurdish women who today are taking the lead in the national liberation struggle inspired by the visionary political ideas of Abdullah Ocalan, the founder of the modern Kurdish movement."

The statement continued: "It is entirely appropriate to be reminded of the critical role played by Abdullah Öcalan who has long been an advocate of women’s liberation and has argued strongly for the equal participation of women within the national political struggle. Öcalan had the foresight to realise women’s potential in society and in politics. The Kurdish movement of today is far stronger by its success in empowering women who now stand shoulder to shoulder with their male comrades in the historic struggle that will continue to its ultimate victory.

Abdullah Öcalan’s remarkable ideas have now inspired generations of Kurdish women to have confidence in themselves, to realise their own abilities and to draw on their inner strengths even in the most adverse of circumstances. Under Öcalan’s leadership Kurdish women have become leaders at all levels in the political movement and this is in evidence across Kurdish civil society. The struggles of Kurdish women activists also inspire other peoples around the world.  

Peace in Kurdistan is awed by the remarkable strength and resilience of Kurdish women whose courage and resolution are manifested every single day in this historic national struggle for their freedom. We are proud to stand alongside Kurdish women on International Women’s Day and every day."