The Umbrella Organisation of the Yazidi Women’s Councils (SMJÊ) released a statement on the occasion of 8 March, International Women’s Day, saying the following:

"Today belongs to all women who fight for life. This day belongs to those who have been on the streets worldwide for centuries demanding equal participation in life. It belongs to the women who have been ripped from life at the hands of patriarchy. To the women who transform suffering into strength and strength into struggle. This day belongs to the women who tirelessly give their voice to millions of other women and girls.

On the occasion of International Women's Day, we salute the resistance of women worldwide and send our greetings especially to Iran and Shengal, where women are putting up historic resistance against patriarchy and thus defending life and freedom. At the same time, we remember all the courageous women, such as Rosa Luxemburg, Clara Zetkin, Sakine Cansiz and Berivan, who dedicated their lives to the liberation of women and humanity.

Today, 8 March, is not about pretty flowers and presents, but about essential political and historical struggles. International Women's Struggle Day now looks back on more than 110 years of history. Today, we want to draw attention to the importance of these historical achievements. International Women's Struggle Day should remind us of the immense suffering that women and girls around the world endure every day. In modern times, enslavement, exploitation and violence have intensified. In our present reality, which is dominated by a male-dominated mindset, sexual abuse, forced prostitution, suicide, child marriage, female infanticide and domestic violence have also taken a form of daily practice. Economic, political, social, cultural, ecological and many other problems are therefore concentrated in the women's question. In response, the 21st century has seen an increase in organised resistance by women worldwide.

We salute today the great resistance of women in Iran and Eastern Kurdistan (Rojhilat) who have been leading the historic protests against the murderous Mullah regime for months, shaking the misogynist Islamist regime and risking their lives every day. Our greetings today also go to the brave women in Rojava who daily resist the attacks of Turkey and ISIS on their lives and are architects of a free life. We also remember today the women who lost their lives in the devastating earthquake. We remember the still ongoing feminicide and genocide of the Yazidis in 2014 by ISIS, in the course of which more than 5,000 Yazidi women and girls were abducted, enslaved, raped and tortured. To date, well over 1,000 women and girls are still in the clutches of ISIS.

The struggle of women worldwide is expanding far and wide. Women don't want flowers. They want to live! To live without being afraid. They want their no to be accepted. They demand equal participation in life. They want to shape their own lives! We can only achieve an end to this patriarchal violence by building a strong women's organisation, through international solidarity among women and our own self-defence structures. We want to advance this awareness and solidarity among women in order to jointly confront the attacks on our lives and our right to self-determination.

Let us strengthen our solidarity and, as women who liberate themselves, take responsibility for building a free society! Together for freedom - Every day is 8 March!"