The Yazidi Women's Freedom Movement (TAJÊ) launched an international campaign dubbed ‘Against femicide –be the voice of self-defense’ on 8 March.

From March 8th, 2024, International Women’s Day, until August 3rd, 2024, the tenth anniversary of the genocide and femicide in Shengal (Sinjar), women will raise their voices against femicide and for the self-defense of all women worldwide. The goal is to collect the voices, signatures and participation of various women and women’s organizations in this campaign.

In a statement on Monday, the Shengal Women's Units (YJŞ) announced its participation in the campaign, saying the following:

"Throughout the history of humanity, women have been able to preserve their characteristics of defence, construction and innovation. Women have stood against all kinds of violence and pioneered in the resistance against violence against society. Hundreds of women have written their names in history with their resistance, stance and defiance. Women have always been the protectors of culture, future and beliefs. If some values have been preserved from history to the present day, it is thanks to women. Women continue to protect social values with this characteristic. The male-dominated mentality could not tolerate this resistance of women and wanted to keep women captive under the influence of their own shadows with various cunning. When women could not be kept under the influence of these cunning methods, brutal attacks were launched against society. With these attacks, the place of women in society was targeted and the reality of women was intended to be destroyed.

"The most concrete example of this is the experience of Yazidi women during the genocide carried out by ISIS gangs in 2014. When the onslaught against our society was launched, the reality of the misogynist mentality became much clearer. There was silence against the abduction, murder and rape of Yazidi women. Yesterday Yazidi women, today Afghan and Palestinian women are facing this horrible reality of the male-dominated mentality. Women are kidnapped, murdered and raped, but no one cares. However, thanks to the organisation of women at this stage, they cannot eliminate the reality of women, no matter what they do.

The same mentality continues to attack women today. Especially under the name of honour, femicides are tried to be legitimised. Underneath all these attacks lies the fear they experience due to the reality of women. They are afraid of women's power and resistance. The enemy sees that women are strong-willed, that they do not accept the fate imposed on them and that they rebel against it. The concrete example of this is YPJ, YJA Star, HPJ and YJŞ.

As Yazidi women, we have a history of never accepting the persecution imposed on us. We have taken this stance from Xatuna Fexra, Meyan Xatun, Zerîka Osê, and today we continue to preserve and maintain our resistance thanks to the likes of Bêrîvan, Zîlan, Ezda and Şayan.

The main purpose of the ‘Against femicide – be the voice of self-defense’ campaign is to stand against all kinds of oppression and violence, to build the unity of women and to defeat the ongoing attacks radically. On this basis, as YJŞ, we announce our participation in this campaign initiated under the leadership of TAJÊ. We express once again that we are ready to give the greatest response to all kinds of attacks and oppression wherever we are.

We are convinced that with this campaign we will stop all forms of violence and secure women's freedom."