Qamishlo – With the massive wave of displacement and the strain of economic blockade, women have moved to the forefront of community life in the city of Qamishlo in Rojava. From organizing shelters and securing daily necessities to supporting the local economy, their strength has become a key driver in sustaining life and mitigating the impact of the crisis on the city.

In every wave of displacement, losses are not measured only by the number of empty homes, but by the scale of the disruption that affects both the social and economic balance. With the arrival of thousands of displaced families from the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods to the city of Qamishlo, the city has turned into an open space of living pressure. Women have emerged on the front lines of the daily struggle to maintain the continuity of life and prevent its collapse.

Ghalia Mahmoud Al-Najjar, a member of the Women’s Economy Committee of Kongra Star in Qamishlo canton, confirmed that the regions of North and East Syria have witnessed a large wave of displacement of Afrin residents from the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods as a result of the military escalation launched by the jihadists of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham. This forced large numbers of civilians to head toward the city of Qamishlo, placing exceptional burdens on the region’s living and economic infrastructure.

She explained that the heavy influx of people coincided with the closure of major roads and crossings:

“Supply chains were severely disrupted, which was directly reflected in the availability of basic commodities, especially bread, heating materials, and cooking oils. This paralyzed market movement and increased economic pressure, effectively pushing the city into a suffocating living blockade.”

The supply, economy, and agriculture institutions, in cooperation with the local community, have tried to regulate the limited resources and prevent the crisis from worsening. However, the biggest challenge has been securing shelter and essential needs for the displaced.

“Many were forced to stay in schools, places of worship, or unfinished buildings, amid bitter cold and a severe shortage of heating means.”

Women, as shown, have borne the greatest burden of displacement. Their responsibilities in family care and meeting children’s needs have doubled under harsh psychological and economic conditions for which they were not prepared. Nevertheless, they have played a central role in social cohesion.

“They have helped organize shelter centers, protect children, support the community, participate in guarding and logistical support for fighters, prepare food, and maintain an active presence in community-based economic activities.”

Al-Najjar pointed out that this experience has revealed women’s ability to transform into an effective economic force. Women’s institutions are working to empower women—especially the displaced—through small projects that ensure independent income and reduce the impact of displacement. A large percentage of local economic activity is now led by women despite scarce resources.

She also noted that social solidarity has partially alleviated the severity of the crisis. Bakeries have continued operating, and traders have provided facilities as much as possible, in a collective attempt to prevent the collapse of living conditions.

“The current phase requires broad cooperation to overcome political, social, and economic challenges.”

Ghalia Al-Najjar concluded by stressing that the primary goal is for people to return to their homes:

“The land is not merely a place to live; it is the foundation of economic and social stability. The resilience and solidarity of society are the real guarantee for overcoming this phase with the least possible losses.”

Qamishlo – Amid security tensions and complex humanitarian crises affecting the regions of North and East Syria, the Women’s House in the city of Qamishlo continues to carry out its community and rights-based role with dedication and determination.

The role of the Women’s House is not limited to providing direct support; it also includes protecting women and children, empowering them legally and socially, and promoting a culture of awareness regarding women’s rights within society.

Bahia Murad, an administrator at the Women’s House in Qamishlo, stated that the institution has not stopped for a single moment from providing support and assistance to women and the local community, despite the exceptional and complex conditions the region has been experiencing for nearly a month.

“The Women’s House, in cooperation with other women’s institutions, has worked to provide comprehensive protection for girls and women exposed to violence and threats, in addition to offering psychological, social, and legal support to mothers and children, while ensuring the continuity of economic and legal rights, so that women remain at the forefront of protection and community development,” she said.

She explained that the Women’s House closely monitored the situation of forcibly displaced people who arrived in the area and provided them with comprehensive support safely and efficiently. The House’s efforts included providing shelter in displacement centers, schools, and mosques, in addition to meeting basic needs such as bedding, blankets, and household supplies, in cooperation with local humanitarian organizations.

She confirmed that work teams are distributed across all areas to ensure that support reaches everyone in need, with close follow-up on each case to ensure that no woman or girl is subjected to violence or marginalization, while providing full care and continuous follow-up for all beneficiaries.

“The work of the Women’s House is not limited to material support; it also includes legal and community protection. The House follows up on child alimony cases, provides legal consultations to mothers who do not have a stable income, and cooperates with security authorities to ensure the safety of women and girls.”

The Women’s House also communicates with women through local and international hotlines to ensure the provision of consultations and immediate assistance in emergency cases, achieving sustainable protection and preventing any violation of women’s rights.

Intensive Awareness Sessions

Bahia Murad addressed the significant awareness-raising role played by the institution, noting that the Women’s House organizes intensive awareness sessions for women about their legal and social rights, and informs them about available services and resources, including complaint mechanisms and ways to protect themselves and their children.

“These initiatives come within a comprehensive plan to enhance women’s independence and empower them to fully exercise their role in society, whether economically or socially, ensuring their effective participation in all fields,” she said.

She explained that the Women’s House works in an integrated manner with other women’s institutions, such as Kongra Star and the Women’s Authority, to preserve the achievements of the Rojava Revolution.

“Women’s participation in leadership and administrative positions according to the principle of partnership and equality (50–50) ensures the continuity and protection of these achievements, and reflects society’s commitment to the importance of women’s participation in decision-making and building a balanced and inclusive community.”

Bahia Murad clarified that the most prominent challenges facing women in the region are related to protection from violence, economic pressures, and the rising cost of living. She pointed out that women represent the beating heart of society and a fundamental pillar in building the local economy and maintaining family and social cohesion.

“The role of women in society is not a choice, but a necessity to ensure stability and progress. Women deserve all support and recognition for their vital role in all fields,” she said.

In conclusion, Bahia Murad stressed the importance of continuing cooperation between women’s institutions and civil and security bodies to ensure comprehensive support for women, protect their rights, and empower them to carry out their social and economic roles with full freedom and dignity.

“The Women’s House will remain at the forefront of institutions defending women’s rights and a key reference for every woman seeking protection, support, and equality in North and East Syria, with a commitment to humanitarian principles and revolutionary values that have made women the axis of change and a progressive society.

Tell Tamr – Since the dawn of history, women have played pioneering and influential roles in communal societies, contributing strongly to collective life. They formed the vanguard of society and laid the foundations for its progress, leaving a lasting impact on the course of humanity.

Despite thirteen years of the Syrian crisis, the issue of women’s freedom remains a fundamental challenge. Societal democracy is closely linked to women’s freedom, making it essential to understand and correctly implement this principle, as it underpins the continuity and development of democratic experience.

Kongra Star and the Yazidi Women’s Gathering began establishing women’s communes across the regions of North and East Syria. This initiative aims to strengthen women’s roles and organize them within a community framework that reinforces values of participation and democracy.

Each women’s commune consists of 11 women, three of whom handle administrative tasks, with one serving as the co-chair of the general commune. Specialized committees are formed based on need, including the Economic Committee, Health Committee, Women’s Protection Committee, Cooperatives Committee, Justice Committee, Environment Committee, Golden Crescent Committee, and Finance Committee.

All resources of the women’s communes are dedicated to serving women, with 30% of the general commune’s budget allocated to the women’s association. Kongra Star and the Yazidi Women’s Gathering continuously monitor the work of these communes, and the communes report monthly on their activities and achievements.

Establishing Women’s Communes Began in Jabal Kizwan

In Tell Tamr, part of the Jazira region, Kongra Star initiated the establishment of women’s communes, beginning in Jabal Kizwan as the starting point of an organizational path aimed at strengthening women’s roles and expanding their participation in social life.

Jabal Kizwan was chosen because the area still faces challenges related to women’s freedom and the need to instill a correct understanding of democracy, alongside promoting equality between men and women. The region also continues to struggle against violence targeting women, making it a natural starting point for the creation of women’s communes.

To better analyze problems and develop suitable solutions, an independent women’s organization is required in each village and neighborhood, ensuring effective responses to challenges and enabling women to participate in decision-making.

Reviving the Commune System and Redefining Gender Roles

Nihad Shendi, an administrative official at Kongra Star, stated that the Rojava Revolution revived the commune system. Through the principle of co-chairing by women and men, a radical shift in societal mindset is being achieved:
“The co-chair system represents a new step in redefining the roles of women and men in contemporary society, after their roles were marginalized and excluded.”

Shendi emphasized that the communes have moved beyond traditional dependency and service roles. They are now structured so that each individual is responsible for their role within society. “In this way, the democratic system can evolve to grant everyone the right to expression and participation, enhance individual independence and freedom, and make them active members of a democratic nation.”

She stressed the importance of men and women jointly making decisions and determining solutions to community and family issues within the commune. “Decisions should not be made individually by one co-chair and imposed ineffectively on others,” she noted, emphasizing that women reject mindsets that marginalize or exclude their role.

After establishing general communes, the need for women’s communes became clear. These communes, alongside general ones and without discrimination among women or communities in the region, strengthen the struggle against various forms of dominance, tyranny, and occupation, and address attempts to fragment society.

Women in villages and neighborhoods face greater and more intense challenges, necessitating direct outreach and raising awareness about the importance of democratic family structures and protection. “Hence the need to establish women’s communes as an organized framework to ensure women’s active participation and enhance their role in confronting difficulties.”

Communes as a Fruit of the Women’s Revolution

Shendi confirmed that women’s communes provide women with a broader space to exercise their rights in education, health, economy, environment, and arts. “They enable a deeper understanding of justice principles and laws that guarantee their rights, contributing to legal awareness and strengthening their societal position.”

She added that the establishment of women’s communes represents a significant achievement of the women’s movement over fourteen years of struggle. “Although this step came late due to years of ISIS attacks and Turkish occupation, which continue today, the struggle continues with greater momentum through ongoing building and development efforts.

Qamishlo — As the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women approaches, a dynamic women’s movement in the Autonomous Region of North and East Syria has, over the past years, succeeded in building a unique economic and social model that places women at the heart of development and societal transformation.

Rudin Isa, a member of Women’s Economy, affirmed that depriving women of control over their own economy is one of the most significant forms of violence against them. She described this international day as a symbol of the long struggle women have waged against all forms of oppression and tyranny, defending their dignity and their right to a free and honorable life:
“Women have always been — and remain — a symbol of giving, determination, and a force for change in the face of patriarchal mindsets that have, for centuries, attempted to marginalize their role and erase their value.”

In Qamishlo, where practical experience intersects with ideological vision, Isa asserts that the Women’s Economy project is no longer merely an initiative to launch income-generating projects. Instead, it has become a strategic path for reshaping society based on participation, justice, and equality.

This project, rooted in a long history of women’s resilience and creativity, revives the pioneering role of women as the first founders of the economy and the original creators of production, organization, and self-sufficiency. With accumulated experience and the proven success of women in managing agricultural, industrial, and commercial ventures, the features of an alternative economy have emerged — one based on cooperation and collectivity — restoring to women their strength and their right to determine their own destiny, free from dependency.

A Strategic Step Toward Rebuilding Society

Isa emphasized that the Women’s Economy project in North and East Syria goes far beyond establishing productive projects; it is a strategic step toward rebuilding society on foundations of participation and justice.

She explained:
“It is important to remember that women were the first to establish the foundations of economy since the dawn of history. Women recognized the value of work, production, and organization. They discovered agriculture, collected seeds, cultivated the land, and harvested its fruits. Through this, they built a system based on participation and cooperation, not exploitation and domination.”

According to Isa, women’s intelligence and innate intuition enabled them to understand the importance of organization, savings, and securing food for the future. They were the first to grasp the concept of economic planning — even before the emergence of money or trade. This means that the essence of economy is originally a feminine idea born from women’s need to secure life and provide stability for their community.

With time, patriarchal systems pushed women away from this pioneering role, reducing them to dependents in a male-dominated economic structure built on exploitation. Yet despite all this, women preserved the spirit of work and contribution, proving in every era that they are the foundation of production and life.

Isa affirmed that today’s Women’s Economy project continues this deep-rooted history and seeks to restore balance in society by economically empowering women:
“When women have their own income and financial independence, they gain the power to make decisions and free themselves from all forms of dependency and violence. Economy is not merely a means of living — it is a path to liberation and self-building. Women have proven capable of transforming economy into a space for struggle and creativity.”

Women as the Original Creators

She noted that all of this has been made possible thanks to the philosophy of leader Abdullah Öcalan, who — as she emphasizes — restored women to their rightful place through the concept that society cannot be free without the freedom of women, and that a free economy must rely on women’s active participation:
“Abdullah Öcalan saw women as the essence of life and the source of moral and human values. Through his ideas, we were able to rebuild the concept of economy on the basis of justice and equality.”

Isa explained that through Women’s Economy institutions, women in North and East Syria have proven their ability to manage and produce, launching successful agricultural, industrial, and commercial projects that created job opportunities and contributed to the region’s development:
“This success is clear evidence that when given the opportunity, women can create change and build a free and independent economy that serves everyone. We believe that continuing this project is the true guarantee for building a democratic and integrated society based on social justice and gender equality. Women are not only half of society — they are its foundation and the originators of the first idea upon which today’s systems are built.”

Working Mechanism

Through communes, councils, and Kongra Star, the Women’s Economy Institution works to train women and communicate with them directly to discuss their circumstances, raise awareness of their rights, and encourage them to participate in economic and social life:
“Many women come to Women’s Economy institutions seeking training and information to better understand themselves, their capabilities, and the cooperative work system within these institutions.”

Isa noted that their first step involves gathering women in regular meetings to discuss the types of work they wish to engage in — such as sewing, bakery work, clothing shops, handicrafts, or homemade preserves. Through these meetings, ideas and suitable project proposals are developed to enhance autonomy, strengthen internal organization, and conduct preliminary studies for the projects suggested by the women.

Women’s Economy institutions then evaluate these projects economically and organizationally before implementing them on the ground. Recently, women opened their own bakery in Qamishlo, alongside several other women-run projects across various productive and commercial fields. The most significant among these are agricultural projects, considered the backbone of the region’s economy.
“The main goal is to reach all women in the community through the communes and spread the concept of a free and independent economy so that no woman remains weak or dependent on others.”

A Central Role in Building a Free Economy

In conclusion, Isa stated that their work is based on the vision of Abdullah Öcalan:
“During training sessions, we begin by reading the sixth volume of Öcalan’s Manifesto, focusing on the parts discussing women’s economy and how it has been developed in recent years. The manifesto thoroughly explores women’s central role in building a free economy and how they have advanced and strengthened their presence throughout history.”

“Through these sessions, we aim to empower all women worldwide and to build a life inspired by the spirit of women who struggle, evolve, and seek change. Women must unite and stand together to achieve freedom, equality, and a society built on justice and dignity

Several commune co-chairs in Qamishlo highlighted their central role in organizing local society, emphasizing that communes strengthen community ties, foster dialogue, and provide solutions to everyday challenges.

Öcalan’s philosophy empowers women

Jihan Ahmed, co-chair of the Martyr Liwan Commune, said the commune reflects the thought and philosophy of Abdullah Öcalan. She recalled his words: “When I am released from Imrali Prison, I will establish a commune and become a member of it.”

She described the commune as the foundation of social life, supporting people, organizing their daily needs, and resolving problems. Jihan noted that communes include a range of committees, such as those for women, protection, health, labor, and social relations.

She stressed the need for stronger public engagement to develop communes and overcome challenges, pointing to weak participation in meetings and marches. “The Autonomous Administration has decided to organize weekly home visits every Sunday to strengthen communication and cooperation,” she said.

According to Jihan, Öcalan’s philosophy—placing the commune as the first step after his release from Imrali—was essential to women’s liberation and laid the groundwork for major achievements made possible through the Rojava Revolution. She called for more effective commune-building and broader public participation.

‘Communes organize communities’

Leyla Suleiman, co-chair of the Martyr Shevger Commune, said communes organize communities to tackle daily challenges through committees on protection, social relations, and essential services.

She explained that each committee carries out specific duties: the protection committee ensures security, the social relations committee resolves family disputes, and the services committee provides essential needs such as bread, water, and fuel.

Leila underscored the importance of continuing education within communes, noting Öcalan’s emphasis on their role. She added that the Autonomous Administration organizes regular visits to enhance communication between institutions and residents.

Greater public involvement needed 

Perwin Jamil, co-chair of the Martyr Raed Commune, echoed these views, affirming that communes are the cornerstone of society, present in every neighborhood and governed by the co-chair system.

She explained that committees work according to their mandates: the women’s committee organizes activities, raises awareness, and addresses women’s issues, with members appointed through Kongra Star. Other committees manage daily life and respond to residents’ needs.

Perwin emphasized that communes maintain strong ties with councils and institutions, urging greater public involvement and active engagement to strengthen these grassroots structures.

On 19 July 2012, the Kurds found their own “Freedom Day” when the people of Kobane took control of their own destiny, repelling Assad’s Syrian forces and embarked on establishing their own self-government. On the following day, 20 July, the people in Afrin joined them in this endeavour, setting off a wave of successful resistance in the coming days and months across the region that emerged as Rojava. The heroic resistance of these embattled Kurdish men and women immediately inspired solidarity from onlookers around the world and peoples of all nations rallied to the defence of Kobane.

What has become known as the Rojava Revolution drew its direct inspiration from the leadership and writings of Abdullah Öcalan; it was a practical implementation of his core political ideas and unique contribution to the politics of Kurdistan and the broader Middle East region, with global implications and valuable lessons for the entire peoples of the world.”

Women were in the lead and continue to play a crucial role in the new model of society implemented. All the different nations and beliefs in Rojava and Northern Syria joined the 19 July Revolution with their own features and identities.

They started to work together to build a new democratic system on the road to democratization. In the developed democratic system, democratic solutions to issues related to women as the oppressed gender were elaborated, and a political and social system started to take shape as an alternative to the global capital and capitalist system.

The so-called Arab Spring began in Tunisia in 2010 and spread to other Arab and Northern African countries. It also reached Syria. As the popular movement took its first steps in Syria, the Baath regime responded with even stricter oppressive methods in place since 1963 to protect its power.

With the beginning of the Syrian Revolution on 15 March 2011, the peoples of Rojava and northern Syria called for freedom, democracy and equality, organising many demonstrations. Peoples living in northern Syria also demanded an end of the policy of denial imposed by the Baath regime.

Rojava and Northern Syrian women with their various features began to take the lead in the struggle that developed. The essence of the work carried out in the struggle in Northern Syria and Rojava was a struggle for democracy of the peoples, but it was women who added their particular flavour to this.

Öcalan’s ideas formed the basis of the organization

In Rojava and Northern Syria women had the lead of the demonstrations and there is no doubt that the ideological and practical perspective of the struggle was taken from the philosophy of the PKK (Kurdistan Worker’s Party) leader Abdullah Öcalan. They were against the regional and international conspiracy.

In Rojava and Northern Syria, women set up their own organization in 2005 and called it Yekitiya Star [later this name was changed to Kongra Star]. Yekitiya Star, the first step in the struggle for women’s liberation, gradually reached a new level of organization in political, military, social, diplomatic and cultural fields with the beginning of the revolution.

Although in the region it was above all Kurdish women who were involved in the freedom struggle and organization, soon other women from the whole region were incorporated and joined both the struggle and the organisation. In this way, the women’s organization that started as Yekitiya Star soon widened to include various ethnic and religious structures and went on to cover various fields such as political, military and social.

Women strengthened their solidarity in the Syrian revolution

Following the slogan of strengthening the solidarity of women in the Syrian revolution, Yekitiya Star founded the Syrian Women’s Initiative that carried out many different works.

The preparatory meeting of the Syrian Women’s Initiative under the leadership of Yekitiya Star was organized in the Cizire region with the slogan “Whatever their nation, belief and society, the women of Cizire are one”. The Syrian Women’s Initiative foundation conference was held in Qamishlo on 28 March and the first office was opened in the same Qamishlo on 17 November.

Training programs were organized for women in different parts of Rojava and Northern Syria. In the last period, trainings were held in the new liberated areas. In Afrin, Kobane and Cizire, Mala Jin (Women’s House) were opened. The understanding was that women should be able to solve their problems, to implement social justice principles, to provide social development against reactionary minds, to participate in all spheres of society for an ecological, democratic and free society.

On 21 January 2014, the Democratic Autonomous Administration and the Women’s Council were established. This enhanced the opportunities and projects for women to be carried out in the fields of administration, diplomacy and economy.

From Zehra Penaber to Raqqa: Liberation Operations

Kobane city has witnessed many historical and heroic epics. Women’s Defense Units (YPJ) in this city have resisted the patriarchal system in the name of all women and received support from women all over the world. After ISIS attacked Kobane on 15 September 2014, women got actively involved in defending the city against the mercenaries that threatened the world and imposed slavery on women. Women fighters took their place in the front lines throughout the resistance, and carried out many actions.

Arin Mirkan became a symbol of the fight with the action she carried out on 5 October 2014. Zehra Penaber, Hebun Derik and Evindar, are among the legendary commanders whose names will go down in history. They showed the whole world that women can defend themselves and defeat the ISIS mercenaries.

Avesta and Barin, symbols of Afrin resistance

Women have gained historical achievements against the invading Turkish army and its mercenary allies through the legendary resistance carried out in the Afrin mountains.

Like Arin Mirkan, Avesta Xabur has become a legendary symbol in the struggle for liberty of all women of the world thanks to her resistance in Afrin.

Barin Kobane is another woman whose name has been written in the history of women’s resistance. Barin Kobane, like Arin and Avesta, have opened the way to many more Barins, Arins, and Avestas who are ready to fight against ISIS and against fascism in the Resistance of the Age.

“Our work is like a revolution within the revolution.” – Aveen al-Haji, co-chair of the Democratic Islam Congress

The Council of Religions and Beliefs formed in 2014. It consists of gender diverse representatives of all faiths, including Muslims, Yezidis and Christians, and is now integrated into the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES).

The Democratic Islam Congress opened in 2019 and has centers in each area of NES. It works to establish a theological line in which coexistence among peoples is cultivated, and sectarian violence and the weaponization of religion by local and international actors is prevented. They do not work within a single denomination of Islam. With a number of committees, they work practically, intellectually and spiritually to develop their perspective and meet the needs of society. This can range from associated imams and clerics speaking at funerals and Friday prayers, to facilitating educations, to research.

Article 107 of the Social Contract states that Council of Religions and Beliefs aims to facilitate the ability of all individuals from every religion to practice their belief, to “develop religious institutions that are consistent with the mentality of the democratic nation,” and “oppose fanatical and extremist concepts of the nation-state and non-democracy.”

The Academy of Democratic Islam opened in 2019 until 2023 as the educational branch of the Congress, with many students graduating and later working in schools and universities. Two graduates became imams. The work of the Academy was paused in 2023 when the Religious Sciences Faculty was established in Rojava University. Between the ages of 14 to 18, students in Syria choose an educational pathway, such as vocational training, science, literature, arts, or Sharia (religious education). The Democratic Islam Congress coordinates with the NES Board of Education to deliver religious education at Sharia schools in Heseke, Sarin and Tabqa, with intent to open in Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor next year.

The Democratic Islam Congress has a research department, which participates in knowledge production and community education. Shereen Ahmed told us that they “condense difficult religious texts and make them accessible for a broader audience,” and Mohammed Hasan said they “conduct research on Islamic history, Muslim thinkers and intellectuals, fiqh [Islamic jurisprudence], and other topics.” They present their research to the DAANES, and also publish a magazine, Social Islam [Islami Civak e], in Arabic and Kurmanji.

Three magazines published by the Democratic Islam Congress

“Creating an uprising within the consciousness of religion about women’s position.” – Aveen al-Haji

The Women’s Council of the Democratic Islam Congress participates across all levels of work. Their approach focuses deeply on women’s rights, in particular ending violence against women, but also topics such as women’s right to inheritance. The Women’s Council participates in the Congress’ educational curriculum for children, such as Quran reading classes held in mosques over the summer. Aveen al-Haji said that they “investigate many topics, especially weak hadiths and interpretations, in particular those against women, which are significant and affect society”, and that they work with Jineoloji (women’s science) to analyze women’s role in the history of Islam and religion more broadly.

Co-chair of the Democratic Islam Congress Aveen al-Haji, left, and Shereen Ahmed, member of the research committee 

RIC asked whether the Democratic Islam Congress supported women to become imams. Aveen said that this is not the case, as the Congress “operates in accordance with Islam. We will not form a new law or instruction that goes against the Sharia [Islamic law]” she continued, “It is not important whether a woman becomes an imam if the prevailing mentality is pro-ISIS. It is this mentality that we want to change.”

Delal Khelil, member of Kongra Star and the Council of Religions and Beliefs, emphasized that women have been distanced from their role in religion by various methods, including patriarchal interpretations of the Quran. The Council of Religions and Beliefs encourages women to participate in religious life and knowledge production, including by “doing their own research on religious interpretations and explanations.” She added that there are many examples of women preaching and playing critical roles in religion, including in Christianity, and that the Quran has many examples including verses about the mothers of the prophet Moses, Mary the mother of Jesus, and other important figures such as Bilqis. The Quran verses Surat al-Hujrat: 13 and Surat al-Israa: 70 were quoted as examples showing women’s equitable position.

An example of the opposition to the Democratic Islam Congress’ approach is the criticism they receive regarding their name. Mazin Haroni, vice co-chair of the Democratic Islam Congress, said that many people disagree with the use of “democratic” and “Islam” together, both for mixing the divine with the material, and for the former being perceived as a Western system, while Islam originates from the Middle East. Mazin continued, “some consider civil systems as kufor [apostate] […] the parliamentary system is no exception; it’s another example of the worship of idols.”

Mazin Haroni, vice co-chair of the Democratic Islam Congress

They have studied and are influenced by a number of people, including Jawdet Said, George Tarabichi, Mohammad Habash, and Mohammed al-Ghazali al-Masri, among many others, but do not follow a specific theological line of any individual.

After a dialogue forum titled ‘Belief and Homeland’, RIC asked Delal Khelil on the position of the Council of Religions and Beliefs regarding intervention in the region from external actors, including Western states. She said that over time, these forces have caused “disintegration of coexistent societies through ‘divide and rule’ policies. They have funded extremist religious groups as a tool to confront political or ideological opponents, and created economic and security chaos in several countries, including Syria and Iraq, under the pretext of ‘spreading democracy’ or ‘fighting terrorism.’” She added, “But it is important to clarify that these actions are not motivated by religion, but by the political interests of powers that use, target, or distort religion.”

The prevailing position from the Democratic Islam Congress and the Council of Religions and Beliefs is that “religions and beliefs exist to establish the values of justice, compassion, and cooperation among human beings, not to ignite conflicts or fuel hegemony.”

Delal Khelil, second from right, at the dialogue forum ‘Belief and Homeland: Cooperation for Justice and Peace in the New Syria’ 

However, individuals taking non-conformist positions publicly are in danger. The story of the Khaznawi sheikh family is an example of this. Sheikh Murshid Khaznawi’s approach combines political struggle with theology in his home country and abroad.

His father, Sheikh Mashouq Khaznawi, was known for his involvement in religious and political struggle in Syria – including for the rights of Kurdish people – and as an advocate for a secular state. His forced disappearance, torture and assassination in 2005 was a significant moment in the course of the Kurdish-Ba’ath Party relations, influencing the rise of autonomy in NES in the following years. Sheikh Murshid Khaznawi lived in exile for 18 years after his father’s death, until 2024, when he made a series of visits and speeches in North and East Syria over several months, including at the Yezidi New Year [Çarşema Sor] celebration on April 16 2025 in Amude. A frequent participant at events held by communities of other faiths, he told RIC “interfaith dialogue is not an intellectual luxury; it is a political and social necessity.”

The Khaznawi family follow a branch of Sufism, with Sheikh Murshid Khaznawi operating independently from the Democratic Islam Congress and the Council for Religions and Beliefs. He disseminates his ideas through speeches at Kurdish national events, interfaith events, educational conferences, religious holidays of Islam and other faiths, Friday sermons, and popular gatherings with a “non-elitist approach […] for every individual seeking a dignified life.”

Sheikh Murshid Khaznawi before his speech at Yezidi New Year in Amude

Liberation theology is a tradition originating in Latin America that connects the social, political, and spiritual towards achieving collective liberation. While arising from a branch of Catholic theology, some proponents of other religions share a similar view that salvation of the oppressed is actively sought and won through radical or revolutionary change. Sheikh Murshid Khaznawi calls for peace, but, in an echo of his fathers words, “not peace as a form of surrender. We believe that the future is not for those who wait for it to be gifted from others, but for those who forge their own existence and seize their own rights.”

RIC asked, “How do you see theology and liberation as being connected?”

He replied: “This is the true essence of Islam. It is clear that religion and resistance to injustice are inextricably linked. The fundamental message of Islam is one of liberation, and its followers are committed to freeing human beings from bondage and slavery. Most liberation movements throughout history have drawn their strength from religion. They have used religion as a source of inspiration, not as a tool of oppression. Religion has motivated people to refuse humiliation and surrender. Islam has never been a religion of tyrants. It is a weapon in the hands of the oppressed. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘If you see something wrong, change it.’ Islam is a call for justice and resistance against colonialism in all its forms. We must learn this. Religion is the energy of liberation, not of tyranny.”

Jinwar was officially opened on 25th November 2018, but the process of its establishment was a longer journey. The idea of building a women’s village was inspired by proposals of Abdullah Öcalan and discussed for a long time by the Kurdish Women’s Movement. With the 2012 Rojava Revolution, including the establishment of the self-administration and the withdrawal of the Baath regime from most areas these ideas became more realizable. Concrete plans started in 2016 by an initiative of different women organizations – Kongra Star, the Free Women’s Foundation, the Jineolojî Academy and the Martyr Families Council. The land, which had once been confiscated by the state, was initially cultivated after the revolution by an agricultural cooperative of Aboriya Jin (women’s economy committee) and then donated to the project.

In 2017 the construction of the village started. The houses of the village were built in a traditional way by forming bricks out of earth, water and straw. Some of the buildings were decorated with murals showing the spirit and the message of the women’s village. For example the image of Şahmaran as the bearer of an ancient knowledge symbolizes women’s struggle, strength of transformation and wisdom. The building process of this village connects to a long history of women’s struggle in Kurdistan, to the efforts and sacrifices of many women.

“Women are strongly connected with society – they are the ones organizing the basis of life, inventing methods and tools to solve problems in society and creating bonds of solidarity and mutual support. We are getting connected to this role again, organizing our life together, supporting each other and sharing our knowledge with each other.” says Sirîn, a woman currently living in the village. She came as a language teacher to the village. Previously she lived in Qamishlo where she was a school teacher, first under the rule of the Baath regime and then as part of establishing the new education system in the Kurdish mother-language in the system self-administration. Now she is teaching reading and writing, as well as other subjects, to the mothers and children in Jinwar in their own mother-tongues, both Arabic and Kurdish.

The life in Jinwar is based on communal values and principles such as ecology, democratic self-organization, women’s economy, women’s health, education and the building up of a common future. The women share their knowledge about gardening and ecological ways of growing fruits and vegetables. At the same time, their aim is to build a self-sustainable life that offers independence on an economic level. The women of Jinwar are building up a communal economy by working hand in hand with other cooperatives in the region. Furthermore, they run a bakery, a small village store and dry vegetables for the winter which are also sold. All decisions concerning the daily life, activities, new ideas and the village economy are discussed and made in the village council assemblies. The children and the youth have their own assemblies and spokespersons in order to participate in democratic decision making processes.

Connected to the village, is also the health center ŞifaJin (Healing of Women). The natural healing and health center opened in 2020 and has rooms for treatments, consultations, educational work, and the production of natural remedies. The project also includes a garden where medicinal herbs are cultivated. ŞifaJin’s ambulance ensures mobility in urgent cases and the cooperation with women from surrounding villages to collect and share traditional natural healing knowledge in connection with modern knowledge and treatment methods.

“The life in Jinwar is an example for women living and organizing together and finding their strength together. It is a place that shines around the world. Being here and talking to the women here, I really feel freer and hopeful. It is clear, we need more places all around the world like this village. It is our task as internationalists to build up these places everywhere and establish a network of connection between them”, concludes Julia after her visit at Jinwar.

More information and impressions about Jinwar, you can find here or here.

A newly published report has exposed the devastating environmental toll of oil pollution in North and East Syria, known as Rojava, where communities near the Gir Zero oil fields are grappling with toxic air, rising cancer cases, and barren farmland. Written by journalist Philippe Pernot and released on Reporterre on 12 May, the investigation highlights how years of war, Turkish airstrikes, and neglected infrastructure have turned vital oil reserves into a source of ecological and public health disaster. The crisis now threatens both lives and the fragile future of the region’s post-conflict recovery.

“The air is totally unbreathable here. We have about 50 cases of cancer reported per 500 inhabitants. And we all have a tumour in us that just waits to reveal itself,” Ali Thelaj, a local nurse told Reporterre. Many families stated that relatives had suffered terminal diseases due to pollutants, while others showed skin ailments, among other symptoms.

Flowing from the Gir Zero fields is what’s known locally as the “river of death”, Pernot said. It is full of wastewater and petroleum, which is a direct result of Turkish bombardments of oil refineries and conflict-hampered regional development.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) have controlled most of Syria’s northeast oil field since 2017, after the defeat of the Islamic State (ISIS). Assad’s regime purchased oil from northern Syria even when those areas were not under regime control, trading in oil out of mutual necessity.

Much of the region’s economy relies heavily on oil reserves—since little else can be cultivated in the arid landscape. It was a bitter exchange between enemies: those living in Rojava had few other resources to sustain economic activity, and the Assad regime was fully aware of this, Pernod explained.

During the civil war, Assad and various militant groups financed their operations through the oil fields and refineries in the region. Safe and environmentally sound extraction practices were entirely neglected, the report noted, and the refineries became frequent targets of airstrikes by opposing forces. After the Kurdish-led forces recaptured the area, many of the refineries were deemed toxic and shut down.

Furthermore, the outdated infrastructure poses a major challenge and hinders the ecological goals of the Rojava Revolution, the region’s pioneering social movement emerging during the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011. Various environmental initiatives have attempted to resolve the pollution issues and the extreme aridity of the land, but remain limited. While ongoing sanctions on Syria continue to restrict the region’s economic activity, crude oil remains an essential resource—still refined using these ageing machines and factories, despite the associated risks.

Meanwhile, Turkish forces have systematically bombed the refineries and power plants in Rojava, on one occasion early last year causing nearly one billion dollars of damage in a single attack, Pernod reported according to the power plant’s administration. The attack led to a major power blackout and widespread humanitarian crisis.

Mohammed Ahme, co-director of the environmental council in Qamishlo told Reporterre:

 “Turkey deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure in north-eastern Syria with more than a thousand bombings. They targeted water treatment plants, dams, power plants and even bakeries and hospitals. These attacks generate enormous pollution (up to 200 kilometres around) and a cut in services affecting the lives of the region’s inhabitants.”

A catastrophe at the Oudah oil refinery was a particularly grim example of Turkish sabotage. Director Mohammad Sino recalled that the facility was bombed up to six times a day in December 2023. Journalists from Reporterre, who interviewed him, visited the site – destroyed by a missile on 15 January 2024 – and found it in ruins. When it was destroyed, approximately 35,000 barrels of oil spilled into the surrounding fields.

Farmers say that almost nothing grows there anymore. Nevertheless, Kongra Star, an AANES women’s organisation, managed to construct a greenhouse in the area after the spill and remain hopeful that the land can one day be fertile again. However, such a transformation will require far more than local initiatives alone.

Since the start of the revolution in Rojava, Kongra Star, an umbrella organization for all women’s organizations and institutions in North and East Syria, has developed projects and established cooperatives to promote women’s economic empowerment and increase women’s participation in the labor force.

In an interview with NuJINHA, Rozelîn Bekir, member of Kongra Star Economy Committee, gave information about their activities and their projects in the future.

‘Some precautions have been taken due to the lack of rainfall this year’

“At the beginning of each year, Kongra Star determines its new economic strategy,”

Rozelîn Bekir told us. “This year, we have decided to continue our previous projects on trade and agriculture and make more efforts for some cooperatives we established in previous years. We have taken some precautions and measures due to the lack of rainfall this year. We assigned three families to cooperatives in the city of Hasakah, and we have drilled water wells for agricultural areas. We have developed new projects in the cities of Tabqa, Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor.”

‘Agricultural lands have been damaged in the attacks’

Rozelîn Bekir commented on the ongoing Turkish attacks on the region, targeting the infrastructure. “Last year was a difficult year for us because the attacks of the Turkish state have targeted the infrastructure of the region for two years, causing great damage to the regional economy,” she said.

“The attacks also affect us, as the Kongra Star Economy Committee. We have taken some precautions to minimize the damage. We held meetings and decided to install solar panels in some agricultural areas and grow vegetables in agricultural lands. We have a project called ‘Lavîn’ in the city of Hasakah. The project aims to manufacture women’s clothing. We bought new sewing machines. We also provide vocational courses for women to increase women’s labor participation. We have established sewing workshops in Kobanê.”

‘We have created employment opportunities for women in Aleppo’

Rozelîn Bekir also gave information about their activities in the city of Aleppo. “We have created employment opportunities for women in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods of Aleppo. We have opened a sewing workshop and Arab and Kurdish women work together at the workshop.”

‘Developing the communal economy is the duty of women’

Kongra Star Economy Committee aims to develop more projects in the upcoming years. “We aim to develop new projects across the region in the future. One of our projects is to build large factories and workshops in some areas to manufacture clothes for women and children. We will do what North and East Syria needs, we are ready to build our society. Building the social economy and developing the communal economy is the duty of women.”

In his writings, A. Ocalan presents culture on the basis of social identity and liberation and offers a deeper theoretical foundation for understanding why cultural institutions matter. In his defense texts, he writes: “In the case of society, we define culture in the narrow sense as the world of meaning, moral law, mentality, art and science of society. […] Once the institutions of a society are dismantled, one can no longer speak of its meaning, its culture in the narrow sense. In this case, the social institutions are like a bowl full of water. Once the bowl is broken, obviously, the existence of water cannot be mentioned. Even if it is mentioned, it is no longer water for the owner of the bowl, but an element of life that has flowed to the owners of other lands or vessels. The consequences of the loss of social meaning, mentality and aesthetics are even more grave. […] A society that has lost its mentality and aesthetic world is like a carcass left to rot, to be brutally torn apart and devoured. Therefore, in order to define a society culturally, it is absolutely necessary to evaluate it within its institutional and meaningful integrity.”

Ocalan’s words highlight the importance of rebuilding the cultural foundations of society, both through building social institutions and filling them with meaning. This idea finds practical expression in Hilala Zerin—‘Fertile Crescent’ in Kurdish—an umbrella organisation for women’s culture, linked to Kongra Star in North and East Syria. The name brings to mind the history of those areas: the Fertile Crescent is where, about 12,000 years ago, the Neolithic revolution began, under the leadership of women, contributing to key innovations such as language, agriculture, and the establishment of villages. During this revolution, both institutions and the meanings that filled them were created, forming the foundations of what we now understand as cultural and social identity.

Thanks to the work of women’s institutions like Hilala Zerin, the deeply historical role of women in shaping society in the revolution in North and East Syria is alive today. Mezgin Çolaka, coordinator of Hilala Zerin in North and East Syria, says: “Art and culture, including language and ethics, are the basis of society; together they define its identity. Women historically gave rise to the first societies, which were based on the cult and culture of the Mother Goddess. In patriarchal society, they have been fragmented and, in doing so, lost their role in defending culture and society.” Once again, the need to organise social institutions to address this fragmentation becomes clear—to revitalise culture and recover a collective identity, starting with women. “We want to revive the culture of the Mother Goddess and spread it throughout society. When culture was taken from the hands of women, it was distorted and placed in service of the patriarchal system. We must rediscover our culture—the culture of these lands—we want to rediscover who we are.”

Like water that, without a cup, is either dispersed or redirected to serve someone else, a crucial first step is to rebuild shattered social and cultural structures in order to fill them with meaning.

“Before the revolution, there were already art groups—both mixed and women’s—but it was in 2016 that we finally organised ourselves independently as women in North and East Syria. Within Hilala Zerin, we created different committees: for training, archives and journalism, diplomacy, and more. On the artistic side, we have sections for music, theatre, dance, and painting…” Today, Hilala Zerin is organised in every canton and major city. “We have also opened cultural centres for Arab culture in Tabqa, Raqqa, and Manbij, because in the project of the Democratic Nation every group should be able to express itself through its own culture.”

Since 2016, Hilala Zerin’s work has grown steadily. Today, there are 12 women’s music groups in North and East Syria, as well as theatre groups, musicals, and more. A major milestone in this growing cultural network was the founding of a high university to elevate this work. The Women’s High University for Art and Culture is the first of its kind in the world. Evîn Paşo, from the university administration, explains:
“The university opened on the 21st of November, 2024, and before that, we had been preparing for about three years. We opened it because we believe that the root of society’s problems is linked to women’s freedom. So, to solve the problems in society, you must first address the issues related to women. And if you want to spread culture in society, once again, you must start with women. Our history has been written with the feelings of women, with the lullabies of mothers for their children. The first musical note ever discovered was in a song written by a woman for a goddess. Later, this role was stolen from women: we want them to recover their role as the cultural vanguard.”

This university is not only a symbol of women’s cultural autonomy, but also a space where a new vision for society is actively taught and practiced. Its founding principles state:
“The university carries out its cultural and artistic activities with the understanding that ‘women’s freedom is the freedom of the whole society.’ […] It takes a leading role in changing sexist behaviour in society. […] It also develops its struggle against racism, religion, sexism, and scientism through cultural and artistic activities that promote the morality of freedom, the ideology of women’s liberation, and the system of democratic women’s confederalism.” Women and girls, mainly between the ages of 16 and 27, are admitted after passing an examination. The aim is to provide advanced training to those already experienced in their field.

There are four areas of training, each lasting three years:
• Music: individual and group lessons, choir, and instrumental. At the end, an orchestra will be formed as a symbol of the Democratic Nation of women.
• Theatre: In the first two years, lessons focus mainly on technique and theory, while in the final year, theatre groups will be formed.
• Cinema: Theoretical and practical courses in each related specialty; at the end, a short film will be produced.
• Sculpture and Fine Arts: In collaboration with the association of women sculptors and painters, students will showcase their work in exhibitions and displays at the end of the course.

“But,” explains Evîn, “our rules are flexible. It’s possible for a course planned for three years to be extended to four or even five years. The goal is to educate good artists.”

The anniversary of Mezgîn’s martyrdom was commemorated at the Women’s High University for Art and Culture in Haseke. Mezgîn, born Gurbet Aydın in 1962 in a village near Batman in Northern Kurdistan, joined the Kurdish liberation movement in 1980. She later moved to Europe to promote Kurdish culture, art and women’s freedom through her work. She was martyred in the mountains of Kurdistan on the 11th of May 1992. Her legacy, however, continues to inspire new generations of Kurdish women, and the development of art and culture in Kurdistan for many years.

During the commemoration, it wasn’t only Mezgîn who was remembered, but also all the martyrs who, through their sacrifice, made this revolution possible. Many of them were singers, dancers, or talented actors. In fact, to be a true revolutionary, you must also be an artist—and a real artist is also a revolutionary, because they shape society.

At the end of the commemoration, Evîn shared her feelings with us:
“When I went to university, everything was very cold. The goal of the education system wasn’t to shape personalities capable of building society—it was just to memorise information to pass exams. But here, the aim is to form people who can play a meaningful role in society. At the beginning, I felt a great sense of responsibility. I had to play a role in the lives of 46 women, and I was a bit afraid. But after three months, when I saw the results, I realized that we really can create change.
Today, I know that joyful and beautiful days lie ahead for women, and this will happen thanks to the future artists who will be educated in this university. And this is not only for Kurdish women, or for the women of Mesopotamia, Syria, or the Middle East—but for all the women of the world.”

21 women’s organizations and political parties in Kurdistan came together and formed the Kurdish Women’s Unity Platform.

In a statement, the signatories said the following:

“We are living through a historic process in which a new world system is being shaped.

Following World War I, the foundation of that world system was laid through the creation of nation-states in the Middle East and the division of Kurdistan. A century later, that system – built on occupation and denial – is dissolving. What has brought about this transformation is the unyielding freedom struggle of our people, who for over a hundred years have resisted occupation and genocide across all four parts of Kurdistan.

Through unwavering commitment and immense sacrifice, the Kurdish people have challenged and disrupted the genocidal and occupying order. Yet, in this crucial historical moment, we face both grave dangers and immense opportunities for freedom.

During World War I, like many other nations, the Kurdish people were promised statehood. Maps were drawn. But due to the lack of unity among Kurdish leaders, who remained confined to their own regions, these promises were never realized. The result was the fragmentation of Kurdistan and its erasure through the Treaty of Lausanne. Today, if we are to succeed where we once failed, national unity is not optional – it is essential. Without it, the Kurdish people will not forgive any political force.

For us Kurdish women, national unity is synonymous with freedom and dignity. The occupation of Kurdistan means the occupation of women’s bodies. For a hundred years, Kurdish women have lived under brutal colonialism, experiencing rape, massacre, abduction, and dehumanization. Colonialism is fundamentally a women’s issue, and the first condition for women’s liberation is the end of occupation. National division enables occupation to persist, and therefore, national unity is a matter of honor for Kurdish women.

The only path to eradicating the violence and enslavement of women in Kurdistan is through unity and collective struggle. For us, national unity is the women’s struggle for freedom.

With this understanding, we – representatives of 21 women’s organizations and political parties from all four parts of Kurdistan – have come together under the name “Kurdish Women’s National Unity Conference” to advance and build national unity.

Our discussions and decisions include:

– National unity must not be seen as a narrow alliance between political parties, but developed through democratic organization and democratic political unity.

– National unity should encompass all dimensions of life: social, economic, political, cultural, educational, legal, municipal, parliamentary, and beyond.

– A Kurdish Women’s Festival should be held annually in a different part of Kurdistan.

– A joint support network must be established for children affected by war and poverty across Kurdistan.

– A National Kurdish Women’s Conference should be convened in the near future.

– We will organize ourselves as the Kurdish Women’s Unity Platform to implement these decisions.

Our call to all Kurdish women is this:

We invite all women’s political representatives, women’s movements, and organizations in Kurdistan and the diaspora to join this platform. Let us build national unity together, grounded in love for freedom, the consciousness of equality, and the sacred duty of patriotism. No struggle or political effort can succeed in Kurdistan without national unity. History has placed before us a decisive test. Kurdish women – and the Kurdish people – must pass this test. If we remain divided, we risk losing everything. But if we unite, a free Kurdistan and the freedom of Kurdish women will rise like the sun over our land. Let us raise that sun together.

Our call to all political parties and organizations in Kurdistan is this:

National unity is the path to Kurdish democracy. Division is the result of a failure to develop the democratic will of the Kurdish people. Unity means bringing together diverse voices to identify common problems and shape common solutions. Now is the time to realize the common mind and collective will of the Kurdish people. Let the fate of our people no longer be suffering and oppression born from division. We call on all to act with virtue, to make sacrifices, to stand closer to one another, and to prioritize national unity above all.

As free Kurdish women and men, like all free peoples, we deserve to live with freedom, dignity, equality, and unity.”

Members of the Platform:

Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)

Kurdish Women’s Union (Yekitiya Jinên Kurdistan)

Rêxrawî Xuşkanı Îslamî Kurdistan Kongra Star

Free Women’s Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad, TJA)

Democratic Union Party (Partîya Yekîtîya Demokrat, PYD)

KNK Women’s Commission

Movement for Change (Tevgera Goran)

Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (Partîya Demokratsî û Wekhevîya Gelan, DEM) and Democratic Regions Party (Partîza Herêmên Demokratîk, DBP)

Rêxirawî Jinanî Zexmetkeşanî Kurdistan

Hizbi Şûî

Hizbi Sosyalist

PDS

Lîderên Aşitiyê

Yazidi Women’s Movement (Tevgera Jinên Êzdî, TAJÊ)

Bûroya El Wahdê

Komeley Afratanî Kurdistan

Kurdish Women’s Movement in Europe (Tevgera Jinên Kurd a Ewrûpa, TJK-E)

Rêxirewî Peywendîyên Jinên Kurd (REPAK)

Şepêla Pêşeroja Kurdistan

Partiya Yekîtiya Demokrat a Kurd li Suriyê Partiya Mirov û Ayazî (PIA)

Community of Free Women of Rojhilat (KJAR)

In 2015, Kongra Star Economy Committee launched a project named “Demsal Project” in the town of Tirbespiyê (Al-Qahtaniyah), Jazira Canton of North and East Syria, to develop agriculture and animal husbandry. About 100 women have participated in the project, providing agricultural and dairy products to the people of the town.

The project aims to develop agriculture and animal husbandry in the town, Gulê Murad, Spokesperson of the Kongra Star Economy Committee, told NuJINHA. “About 100 women have participated in the project. These women work not only to earn a living but also to strengthen their personality. They have knowledge about agriculture and animal husbandry. They plant and grow vegetables, fruits, wheat, lentils and corn. They also make dairy products such as cheese and yogurt and tomato and paprika paste.”

‘Women see themselves as the project owners’

The project is an important step for the region, Gulê Murad emphasized, adding:

“This project is a very important project because it meets the basic needs of people. Self-sustainability is one of the goals of the project. The project also provides job opportunities to women. Women see themselves as the project owners not the workers. We also provide courses on self-defense, women’s rights and freedom to women.”

Speaking about their preparation for autumn, Gulê Murad said, “We are getting ready for autumn. Autumn is the season for building greenhouses and the birth process for animals. We plan to open a shop to sell agricultural and dairy products because everyone cannot come here to buy the products.”

‘This project provides job opportunities to women’

Reca Mixlif has participated in the project since 2020. “This year, temperatures have been above normal and it negatively affects the crops. The power outages also affect the crops. This project provides job opportunities to women, achieving gender equality.”

In the run up to International Women’s Day 2025, a new interview with the residents of Jinwar women’s village in Rojava, northeast Syria, was published by Mezopotamya News Agency.

Jinwar was established in 2017, and is inspired by the political paradigm of imprisoned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan, who said “living spaces, not shelters, should be established for women”. It is situated close to Dirbêsiyê city in Rojava’s Cizîrê Canton in northeast Syria.

The village was established after discussions amongst the different women’s organisations in Rojava in 2016. Construction started in 2017, and doors opened on 25 November 2018, which is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Jinwar is designed as a place where women survivors of male violence can create a free life together. It has also been a haven for women whose husbands have passed away.

Since then, admissions to the village have been managed by the Kongra Star women’s federation. When a woman wants to join, the village administration discusses whether the person is suitable, and, if she is accepted, members of the administration take on welcoming her to Jinwar. The residents are asked every six months whether they still want to remain in the village, and if they want to move on they are given help and support.

So far women from Dirbesiyê, Kobani (Kobanê), Deir ez-Zor (Dêrazor), Şedadê, Shehba (Şehba) and Ras-Al-Ayn (Serêkaniyê) in Rojava and Sulaymaniyah (Silêmanî), Sinjar (Şengal) and Makhmour (Mexmur) in Iraqi Kurdistan have all come to live in Jinwar.

A statement from Jinwar explains the reasons for the establishment of the village:

“The idea of a women’s village in Rojava was born years ago, building on a long and likewise hidden history of women-centred societies, spaces and utopias, also encouraged by Abdullah Öcalan who expressed the wish that women would create their own city.”

A self-governing experiment in women’s self-governance

The village includes a school, a communal dining hall, a bakery, a shop and Şîfa Jin, a women’s clinic, which uses traditional and herbal medicine. The herbs used in the clinic are grown in the village’s gardens. The village symbol is the hermel herb, which represents abundance. Hermel is used widely in treating many illnesses.

“The Hermel has a long tradition in the region of Rojava Kurdistan. For hundreds of years women created this artifact and placed it above the doors or on the walls of their houses. The pearls are the dried fruits of a plant growing on the small hills that can be found in the flat landscape of Rojava, marking the hidden heritage of ancient villages and forms of civilization. The plant itself is called “Harmal“ (Peganum Harmala) and several myths designate it as a plant of women.”

Jinwar also has an academy teaching history, women’s anatomy, and gynaecology. Steppe Kindergarten and Üveyş Ana primary school teach the children, educating in both English and Arabic.

Work at Jinwar is rotated. Women take shifts in the bakery one day, and may be working in the gardens the next.

Both traditional medicine and traditional housing

The women live in traditional houses, built in the way that people would have done hundreds of years ago. “We decided to build our houses the way people have built their houses in this region since long time ago. For this traditional and sustainable way of building it is important that the weather is warm and dry. For the adobe bricks – kerpîç – we are using a mixture of earth, water and straw,” wrote the residents of Jinwar.

Collective self-administration

Jinwar is run by a women’s council, which meets twice a month – and which all residents of the village are members of. The Council meetings discuss life in the village, as well as wider political developments in the region. The villagers provide their own security needs and education. Fifteen women and 20 children now live at Jinwar, and the villagers sustain themselves through agriculture and animal husbandry, with electricity provided by solar energy. Men are only invited into the village for specific collective work projects. Women living in the village can be visited by their families, but men are not allowed to stay in the village.

Becoming oneself

Mezopotamya Agency (MA) spoke to Yesmin Ehmed, a resident of Jinwar who came to the village after the Turkish invasion of Afrin (Efrin). She explained:

“When we first arrived from Aleppo to the village after the invasion of Afrin, my plan was to go to with my family in Europe. Then a friend of mine told me about Jinwar. There was a curiosity and I wanted to get to know the village. I embraced the life here a lot, and I decided to live here. I told my family in Europe about it, and I reported that I would be staying at Jinwar. Here, I wanted to get to know about life, new friendships, myself and the identity of women. I’ve come to the awareness that you’re not under my attack. This consciousness has affected my daughter. Her life has changed too.”

Ehmed explained to MA how she had got used to life at Jinwar, and become involved in the self-administration and collective working life in the village:

“My daughter and I have been living in Jinwar for five years. I came to the village as a woman who has nothing to do. [I am] in the administration today, and we decide all together about the life here… I got used to things here, with the support of friends, despite the heavy work here, without any difficulty. Gradually, I started learning all the work. I’ve come to know that I’m doing something economically. I used to want to do things, but I was like, ‘You’re a woman, you can’t do your work outside, you should take care of children at home, that’s your job.’ I’ve been through this here, and I’ve had enlightenment. As the woman makes sense of life, her leadership is strengthened.”

‘We will not accept the domination of either ISIS or Turkey’

Ehmed is clear that Jinwar has survived ISIS’s attacks, and it will remain resilient in the face of Turkish attacks and the Turkish backed Syrian National Army (SNA). She told MA how the women of Jinwar had responded to the attacks:

“Jinwar, where women of different identities and beliefs live together, serves as a bridge for the democratic nation paradigm. Since the beginning of the attacks, many of our friends have rushed to help in different areas in accordance with the call for mobilisation. We are still continuing our work. We can say that economic difficulties have forced us, but we continue our work. We continue our education and crop cultivation. We are trying to provide not only basic needs but also psychological support. We will not accept the domination of either ISIS or Turkey. Even if the attacks come to the village, we will not leave, we will protect our village and the Autonomous Administration. We will defend it by standing upright against the attacks.”

To learn more about Jinwar visit their website here, or watch the Jineoloji video about the village here.

During the July 19 Revolution, known as the Women’s Revolution, women from the Kurdish, Arab, Syriac, Assyrian, Armenian, Circassian, and Turkmen components in Rojava and North and East Syria rose up against the actions of the authorities based on a patriarchal and sectarian mentality.

We present to you in this file the results of women’s efforts and activities, and the achievements they accomplished during the revolution, on the occasion of March 8, International Women’s Day.

The social contract

After the announcement of the Autonomous Administration of al- Jazira Canton on January 21, 2014, Kobani on January 27, and Afrin on January 29, 2014, the Legislative Council of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria met in the city of Amuda in the same year and ratified the Rojava Social Contract, which preserves the military, political, and social rights of women. The system of co-chair was adopted as a fundamental principle in all institutions of the Autonomous Administration.

The social contract was amended on December 29, 2016, and issues of freedom, justice, equality, education, health, environmental protection, women’s freedom, and the protection of women’s and children’s rights were fundamental in this social contract, with women’s representation in these areas reaching 40 percent.

In the context of people’s rights and women’s proposals, the Democratic Autonomous Administration amended the social contract again and ratified the new social contract on December 12, 2023. According to the contract, the representation of women in the public justice system in the region was set at 50 percent.

In 2024, preparations began for a social contract specifically for women, and work on it is still ongoing.

Women’s Authority

Women’s Authority is one of the bodies affiliated with the Executive Council of the Autonomous Administration. Its work involves addressing women’s social, economic, cultural, political, and legal issues, and it operates based on social justice and the democratic family.

The Women’s Authority includes the Women’s Protection Office and the Children’s Protection Office.

At the level of al-Jazira canton, the Amara Office was opened to provide psychological support to women who are subjected to extortion and abuse. Additionally, between 2022 and 2023, 7 centers named “Ahlan Simsim” were opened to develop children’s skills.

Women’s organization

With the aim of standing against all forms of violence and social problems and liberating from prevailing systems, and based on the principle of “Organize yourself according to the ideology of women’s liberation,” the Kongra Star was established as a union before the revolution in 2005, and it continues to manage community organization now under the name Kongra Star.

Kongra Star took the initiative to establish the first women’s councils and centers and organize them in the liberated regions of North and East Syria from ISIS mercenaries (al-Tabqa, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor). In 2021, the establishment of the Zenobia Women’s Assembly was announced, with its centers located in al-Tabqa, Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and Manbij before being occupied by Turkey and its mercenaries in late 2024. It is concerned with organizing women on all levels, in addition to addressing social issues such as violence, child marriage, polygamy, murder, divorce, and inheritance.

Many institutions to combat the patriarchal mentality

To combat violence against women in North and East Syria, the Sara Organization for Combating Violence Against Women was established in 2013.

The Center for Research and Protection of Women’s Rights was established in 2020 with the aim of providing legal support to women and documenting the ongoing violations against them.

The Free Women’s Foundation in Syria was also established in 2014 with the aim of developing and empowering women in the economic, cultural, social, and health sectors.

The Women’s Environmental Platform was established in Rojava in 2022 to promote environmental awareness.

Alongside these organizations, many women’s councils have been established in the region. In 2019, the Women’s Council in North and East Syria was established, and in 2017, the Syrian Women’s Council, the Women’s Council in the Democratic Union Party (PYD), and women’s councils and offices in the Future Syria Party, the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), and the Democratic Society Movement (TEV-DEM) were established. These are important and significant organizations in the region.

Women’s unions for the Syriac, Armenian, and Yazidi communities were also established in the region, along with the Young Women’s Union and the Women’s Media Union (YRJ), as well as several associations and civil society organizations dedicated to women.

Women’s House

In order to protect women’s rights, combat violence, prevent child marriage, address harassment and rights violations, and tackle all social issues in various cities, as well as to solve social problems according to the model of a democratic and ecological society and to liberate women, the first women’s house was opened in the city of Qamishlo on March 20, 2011, under the auspices of the Star Union (now the Kongra Star). Today, there are 39 women’s houses in North and East Syria.

Also, in the cities of Qamishlo and Hasakah in 2019, under the auspices of the Syriac Women’s Union, the Ishtarot House for Women was established with the aim of finding solutions to the problems faced by Syriac, Armenian, and Chaldean women.

Women’s Justice Council

The Women’s Justice Council was established in 2016 and operated throughout North and East Syria. Under its umbrella, the Women’s House, the Justice Bureau, the Reconciliation Committee, and the Academy were organized.

After the expansion of the liberated areas, the Women’s Social Justice Council in North and East Syria was announced at al-Jazira Conference for the Women’s Justice Council (2018).

Family law

The Women’s Law, which guarantees women’s political, economic, and social rights without relying on patriarchal or masculine mentality and achieves justice and equality, was issued on October 27, 2014, under the auspices of the Kongra Star and consists of 26 articles. However, due to the absence of specific penal laws, the penal code of the Damascus Government was adopted. The Women’s Law was completed in 2016 with the approval of the criminal and penal laws.

In 2019, at the first conference of the Women’s Council in North and East Syria, which included 62 women’s organizations and independent women, the Women’s Law was discussed as principles for women, and a decision was made to issue the Family Law.

The Family Law consists of 6 titles: marriage, divorce, effects of divorce, alimony, kinship, and family-related crimes, and it includes 41 articles. The law stipulates a prison sentence of 10 years for those who commit crimes of killing women. The Family Law was approved for the first time in 2023 in the al-Jazira region, and it protects women, children, and family members.

The security and military field

The Internal Security Forces – Women took over women’s security practically in 2012 and was officially established in 2014. It includes the Syriac Women’s Protection Units (Sutoro), the Assyrian Internal Security Forces (Natura), and women also have a place in the traffic department.

The Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) were established in 2013. Additionally, women take their place independently within the councils of Kurdish, Arab, Syriac, Assyrian, and Armenian components affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces.

In order to protect the community security-wise and prevent the proxy war being waged in the region from abroad, the Community Protection Forces for Women were established in 2016.

Golden Crescent Movement

The Hilal Zerin Movement for Women’s Culture in North and East Syria was established in 2016, and today it has 5 centers distributed across the region’s cities. Under the umbrella of the movement, the Shahida Berxwedan Studio and the Women’s Cinema operate as two institutions managing artistic works such as films, music videos, and song releases.

In 2024, the Hela Zerin Movement for Women’s Culture in North and East Syria inaugurated the Higher Institute of Arts in the city of al-Hasakah.

In 2020, the movement also opened the Martyr Noyla School of Fine Arts and established a children’s music band of the same name.

Til Temir – Displaced women in North and East Syria have been waging a common struggle although their homelands have been occupied, they have been suffering from displacement, their identities have been ignored and the demographic structure of their region have been changed. In the shadow of all these circumstances, they welcome International Women’s Day. Women, who were displaced from Serêkanîyê (Ras al-Ayn) by the Turkish attacks, have been living in Til Nesri, a Syriac village of Til Temir, northeastern Syria, since October 9, 2019.

NuJINHA spoke to displaced women working at the Iştar Tandoor Cooperative, established by the Economy Committee of Kongra Star in the city of Til Temir to promote women’s economic empowerment, about International Women’s Day.

‘Our homeland must be liberated’

“Women must claim their rights, especially to secure their future,” said Emîne Hisê, who was first displaced from Serêkanîyê by the Turkish attacks and then from Aleppo by the attacks of Al-Nusra Front. “Now, women participate in the labor force everywhere, achieving successes and demanding their rights.”

Emîne Hisê wants Serêkanîyê to be liberated. “We hope that the occupations will end, the Kurdish people will gain their status and achieve victory as a result of their struggle. We hope to return to our homeland. We also demand the physical freedom of leader Abdullah Öcalan.”

Emîra Micris talked about the long-year women’s struggle for rights. “They still have not had their rights although they make more efforts than men. We demand gender equality everywhere.”

‘Our joy remains incomplete’

Emîra Micris called on the Turkish state to withdraw from “our homeland so that we can return to our homes. Our joy remains incomplete because our city, homeland, and our homes are occupied. Displacement is a form of violence. Therefore, our joy will remain incomplete until this violence ends and our cities are liberated. We can celebrate International Women’s Day when our homeland is liberated and we return to our homes. How can I celebrate International Women’s Day when my city is under occupation? We dream of a free country and a world without violence, where men and women are equal.”

 After the liberation of Manbij in 2016, Tabqa in 2017, Raqqa in 2018 and Deir ez-Zor in 2019, the first women’s councils and centers were established in these cities under the leadership of the Kongra Star, as women organized themselves within them. So a conference was held in Raqqa cantons on June 1, 2021, in which 150 women participated, and resulted in the announcement of the Zenobia Women’s Gathering.

The name of the Zenobia Women’s Gathering came from the warrior queen of the Palmyra Empire, Zenobia, and this empire is described in historical references as “a symbol of women’s loyalty to the land and people” and was founded in the city that ISIS mercenaries tried to destroy.

Furthermore, Arab, Circassian, Turkmen and other women from other components, in the gathering centers in Manbij, Tabqa, Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa work to solve all social problems such as violence, underage marriage, polygamy, murder, divorce and inheritance, and they are waging an organized struggle to change the mentality of male dominance.

248 women work in the 4 gathering centers (Manbij, Tabqa, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor) and within its 11 committees (justice, training, families of martyrs, economy, press, protection, diplomacy, finance, media, health, culture and art).

Resolving more than two thousand cases

According to the gathering’s work results from January 1 to October 31 of this year, 2044 cases were resolved out of 4605 cases, while 478 cases are being followed up and 981 ones were referred to the Court of Justice.

The Gathering Council member, Gian Derik spoke to ANHA agency about the gathering’s activities.

Gian Derik pointed out that the establishment of the Zenobia Women’s Gathering came in light of women’s needs.

“Zenobia exists wherever there are women and children, our gathering plays an active role in confronting problems and society sees it as a best choice for the solution,” Gian Derik said.

She added,” We work in cooperation with the judiciary and the Internal Security Forces, and in the event that any woman is subjected to violence, we first transfer her to the hospital, and we receive a medical report of the beating, then we present the case to the Public Prosecution to begin the trial procedures.

Derik explained that the goal of the Zenobia Women’s Gathering is the  struggle against all forms of violence. She concluded her speech by saying: “To support each other, we must organize ourselves better. Women deserve freedom, and they have sacrificed in all fields. The women who fought ISIS founded Zenobia. On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we will increase the pace of our struggle according to the philosophy (Women, Life, Freedom).

Kongra Star Economy Committee of North and East Syria continues to develop projects to provide employment to women. One of the projects of the committee is the “Waşûkanî” project aiming at providing employment to displaced women.

This project has become a source of income for the displaced women of Serêkaniyê (Ras al-Ayn) living in the Til Nesri village of Til Temir, also known as Tell Tamer.

“Kongra Star Economy Committee provides both financial and psychological support to us,” said Emîra Mihêmîd Micris, one of the displaced women earning a living by baking flatbread.

Emîra Mihêmîd Micris has been living in the village for five years, since they were displaced by the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions from Sêrekaniyê. “We settled in the village of Ashuri after being displaced from Sêrekaniyê,” she told NuJINHA. “With the support of the committee, we started our project to bake flatbread. We are three women, one of us makes dough, and the other spreads the dough. I bake the bread.”

The three women bake flatbread according to the needs of the displaced people. “We like baking bread. Instead of sitting at home, we earn a living and serve our people. We work from 5 AM to noon.”

Calling on all women to participate in the labor force, Emîra Mihêmîd Micris said, “There’s nothing to be ashamed of working. All women should work to get their economic independence.”

Arab and Kurdish women work together to bake flatbread. “We are all children of this region. We live together without any discrimination. We are all sisters; there is no difference among us.”

‘They stole all my memories’

Emîra Mihêmîd Micrisa also talked about the crimes committed by the Turkish state. “They (the Turkish state) took my house, stole all my memories. We expect to return to our homeland. When we return to our homeland, we will build a new life. We demand an end to the Turkish occupation. I call on all people to support us in order to end the Turkish occupation in our homeland.”

Emîra Mihêmîd Micris also called on all women to “be strong and develop projects to get your economic independence.”

The significance of Kobane

In the wake of the people’s uprisings against despotic regimes in North Africa and the Middle East, the protests against the Assad regime in Syria also began in spring 2011. The Kurds in Rojava (Western Kurdistan), who had been oppressed for decades by the nationalist policiesof the Ba’ath dictatorship, demanded both a fundamental democratisation of Syria and recognition of their political and cultural self-determination. On 19 July 2012, the people of Kobane urged the Syrian military and the state apparatus to withdraw from the city. This was the beginning of the Rojava Revolution. Municipal and women’s councils set up by elected commune representatives took over the organisation of society’s affairs. This laid the foundations for the Democratic Autonomous Administration, which is based on the principles of grassroots democracy, ecology, women’s liberation and cultural and language diversity. Shortly afterwards, the Kurdish people in the regions of Efrin and Cizire followed Kobane’s example. In January 2014, the canton of Kobane was proclaimed as one of three self-administered cantons of the Democratic Autonomy based on the Social Contract of Rojava.

A review of the attacks on Kobane

The attacks on the Democratic Autonomous Administration in Kobane, which continue to this day, began with the major offensive of the ‘Islamic State’ (ISIS) in September 2014. Then as now, Turkey played a leading role. Thousands of ISIS mercenaries, militarily trained, equipped and led by Turkey, crossed the border into Syrian territory to attack Kobane. In October 2014, ISIS, armed with heavy artillery, depopulated and occupied a large part of the city of Kobane and 300 surrounding villages. More than 300,000 people were displaced. Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan declared at the time: ‘Kobane has fallen’. With the genocide and feminicide in Shengal and other heinous crimes against humanity, ISIS had spread such fear that it was considered ‘invincible’.

But this myth was shattered for the first time by the determined resistance of the YPJ and YPG women’s and people’s defence units in Kobane. The self-sacrificing actions of the YPJ fighters Arin Mirkan and Rewan Kobane became a symbol of this resistance. As a result of 134 days and nights of united resistance by the people of Kobane and all parts of Kurdistan, as well as strong international solidarity, the attacks were continuously repelled. Finally, on 26 January 2015, the city was completely liberated. This marked the beginning of the end of ISIS’s reign of terror in large parts of Syria and Iraq.

After the liberation, the people immediately returned to the town and villages of Kobane. They rebuilt their Autonomous Administration and their town, which had been completely destroyed by the war. Kobane is seen as proof that collective resistance and the will for freedom can change the course of history. But the attacks by the Turkish state and its mercenary groups have continued unabated. Turkish border guards have repeatedly shelled fields, villages and facilities in the Kobane region, destroying infrastructure and killing or injuring dozens of civilians. In particular, Turkey has carried out drone attacks against women’s activists, employees of the autonomous city administration and members of the YPJ/YPG self-defence forces.

An incomplete chronology of attacks on the Kobane region since June 2015

• On 25 June 2015, ISIS again attempted to occupy the town and villages of Kobane, massacring 252 residents, including 64 women and 35 children. The YPJ/YPJ defence forces and Asayish security forces managed to repel this attack.
• On 23 June 2020, Zehra Berkel and Hebun Mela Xelil, board members of the women’s umbrella organisation Kongra Star, and 60-year-old Emine Veysi were murdered in a drone attack by the Turkish army on Emine Veysi’s house in the village of Helince near Kobane.
• On 20 October 2021, a vehicle was bombed by a Turkish army drone in front of the Judicial Council building in the centre of Kobane. Two employees of the Autonomous Administration died and four others were injured.
• On 23 October 2021, three YPG members on their way to Kobane for medical treatment were killed in a drone strike on a car.
• On 25 December 2021, 7 members of the youth movement – Nujiyan Ocalan, Viyan Kobane, Rojin Ehmed Isa, Merhef Xelil Ibrahim, Walid Mihemed Menle and Mesud Ibrahim – were killed in a drone attack by the Turkish army on a house in the centre of Kobane.
• On 20 April 2022, 3 members of the YPJ Women’s Defence Units – Ranya Henan, Rodin Ebdilqadir Mihemed and Cihan Nidal Eli – were killed in a Turkish drone strike on their car.
• On 11 May 2022, 53-year-old Ekrem Ustek was killed in a drone strike in Kobane. He had been imprisoned in Turkey as a political prisoner. After his release, he took part in the defence of Kobane against ISIS in 2014.
• On 21 July 2022, two commanders of the YPG People’s Defence Units were killed in two drone strikes on the centre of Kobane.
• On 19 and 20 November 2022, the town and surrounding villages of Kobane were bombed by the Turkish army. Among others, TV reporter Mihemed Cerade was injured and the school in the village of Goran was destroyed.
• On 19 November 2022, the Turkish Air Force bombed the Covid-19 hospital in Kobane.
• On 28 November 2022, the regional health centre in the village of Qeremox, east of Kobane, was destroyed and put out of operation by Turkish air strikes.
• On 12 February, 25 April and 11 May 2023, a total of 4 members of the SDF Defence Forces lost their lives in Turkish army drone attacks on cars in the Kobane region.
• On 6 October 2023, the Turkish air force bombed the hospital run by the NGO “Doctors Without Borders”, a forest and a concrete factory in Kobane. In further attacks between 4 and 24 October, three civilians were killed and eight others injured in the Kobane region.
• On 25 December 2023, the Turkish state bombed the Kurdish Red Crescent hospital and a car service shop in Kobane. The following day, the Turkish state bombed 7 Asayish checkpoints on the access roads to Kobane.
• On 14 January 2023, the Turkish army bombed the villages of Shekhlera Jorin, Zormixar and Ehmet Munur, a cement factory, grain silos and the power station in the area of Kobane. As a result, 150 tonnes of grain were destroyed. The electricity supply to the city and 660 villages was cut. The fire brigade was bombed again while
  fighting the fire.
• On 25 January 2024, Turkish drones bombed the villages of Koran, Xerbisan and Qeremox in the Kobane region. Local resident Maruf Xelil Mihemed was injured.
• On 6 April 2024, YPJ commander Sorxwin Celal and Arin Kobane, who had been fighting against IS, were killed in a Turkish army drone attack on their car.
• On 18 April 2024, Kobane residents Ali Mustafa Osman and Halima Mihemed Osman were injured in a Turkish drone strike on their car in the village of Enbet, east of Kobane.
• On 30 June 2024, 24-year-old farmer Yehya Ibrahim Eli was seriously injured by a Turkish army kamikaze drone attack while working in the fields between the villages of Bexdik and Kultepe.
• On 15 October 2024, the Turkish army again shelled the villages of Shekhlera Jorin, Zormixar and Ehmet Minur with artillery.
• From 23 to 27 October 2024, the Turkish army repeatedly attacked Kobane with fighter jets, drones and heavy weapons. The attacks targeted infrastructure, a food factory, grain stores, water and electricity plants. At least seven workers were injured in the attacks.
• On 8 and 9 December 2024, Turkey, together with mercenary troops from the Turkish-controlled ‘Syrian National Army’ (SNA), launched a major offensive to capture the Karakozak-Euphrates Bridge, the M4 highway and the Tishrin Dam south of Kobane. Three members of the Asayish security forces in Kobane, Hesen İbrahim, Suhel Beki, Hesen Nesan and Mihemed Emin Hemo, and two children were killed in the village of Kon Eftar, south-west of Kobane. YPJ fighters Berfin Mihemed and Zeyneb Welat were killed by a Turkish drone strike while defending the Qereqozaq bridge.
• On 10 December 2024, 12-year-old Mehmud Shex Eli and 25-year-old Ebdullah Mehmud Shex Eli were killed in an NSA attack on the village of Ceida Mezin, south-west of Kobane. Two other children, aged 10 and 8, were injured in the attack and required hospital treatment.
• On 11 December 2024, the SDF agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire with the Turkish-controlled SNA mercenary force. However, attacks by the SNA and the Turkish army continued unabated. 6 SDF members were killed in a Turkish drone attack near the Qereqozaq bridge. A civilian vehicle carrying eleven people was machine-gunned by SNA mercenaries as it crossed the bridge. Sixty-year-old Zahide Kusi was killed. Eight-year-old Ciwan
  Berkel was wounded. The Tishrin dam was also attacked again by SNA ground troops and the Turkish air
  force. Fierce fighting broke out. An ambulance carrying the wounded was attacked by the Turkish air force on the road between Tishrin and Sirrin. One of the wounded and the driver of the ambulance were killed. A nurse and another casualty were seriously injured.
• On 12 December 2024, the Turkish army bombed the Tishrin Dam with tanks and drones. International observers warned that the attacks could cause the dam to burst and lead to a serious humanitarian crisis.
• On 14 December 2024, the Turkish army deployed another large contingent of troops, heavy artillery and tanks in the Pirsus region on the border with Kobane.
• On 19 December 2024, Cihan Bilgin, correspondent for the ANHA news agency, and Nazim Dashtan, journalist for the ANF news agency, were killed by Turkish drone fire in the Kobane region while covering the fighting at the Tishrin Dam and Qereqozaq Bridge. The driver of their car, Eziz Hec Bozan, was seriously injured.
• On 20 December 2024, SNA forces shelled the area around the Qereqozaq Bridge and an asphalt factory south of the city of Kobane.
• On 22 December 2024, a 12-year-old child named Nasim Xelil and his 35-year-old mother, Sewsen Xelil, were killed by heavy artillery shelling by SNA mercenary forces on the village of Jadah in the Kobane region.
• On 23 December 2024, the Syrian Democratic Forces (QSD) launched a counter-offensive on the Euphrates in response to the ongoing attacks by the Turkish army and the SNA. The QSD attacked several SNA bases and liberated several villages near the Tishrin Dam.
• On 25 December 2024, YPJ commander Ronahi Yekta, who had played an important role in the defence of the Tishrin Dam, was killed in a Turkish drone strike.
• On 31 December 2024, Turkish artillery shelled the Qereqozaq bridge and the village of Bir Hiso in the south of Kobane. Residential buildings were destroyed or severely damaged by shells. More than 25 hits were recorded in the early hours of the morning alone. The attacks continued the following day. In the Kobane region, a teenager was injured when Turkish border guards indiscriminately machine-gunned the village of Qeremox.
• On 1 January 2025, Turkish attack drones bombed a sugar factory in the town of Dair Hafir, west of the Euphrates. The factory was rendered inoperable by the attack.
• On 6 January 2025, the Turkish army bombarded the villages of Seve and Cade on the southern outskirts of Kobane with artillery fire.
• On 8 January 2025, a Turkish drone attack targeted a civilian convoy travelling from Kobane to the Tishrin dam. Kerem Ehmed El Shihab El Hemed, a member of the Zenubiya Women’s Gathering, and members of the youth movement Zozan Hemo and Azad Ferhan Mihemed Hesan were killed. 15 other people were injured. Mistefa Ebdi and Eli Shasho lost their lives in another Turkish attack by a combat drone on the village of Girke near Kobane.
• On 10 January 2025, the grain silo in the village of Sirrin, 40 kilometres south of the city of Kobane, was bombed for the second time by the Turkish Air Force.
• On 11 January 2025, a Turkish fighter jet bombed a house in the village of Al-Masrab, near the town of Sirrin. Two sisters, aged 12 and 13, and their 37-year-old father were killed in the attack. Five other children aged between one and ten were injured.
• On 12 January 2025, Turkish warplanes bombed the village of Gire Berkel near Kobane four times. The small town of Sirrin and villages near the Tishrin dam were also repeatedly bombed by the Turkish air force.
• On 13 January 2025, villages in the south of Kobane and a cement factory near Sirrin were again bombed by Turkish army drones, fighter jets and artillery. An ambulance belonging to the Kurdish Red Crescent (Heyva Sor a Kurd), travelling from the Tishrin dam towards Kobane, was missed by a few metres by a drone bomb.
• A family was buried in their own home during Turkish air strikes on rural Sirrin, south of Kobane, on 14 January 2025.
• On 15 January 2025, the Turkish occupying state repeatedly bombed a civilian convoy on the road to the Tishrin Dam. As a result, one person was killed and 14 were injured. On the same day, the Turkish occupying state targeted the place where the people gathered to protest. Omer Hisen Derweş, Osman Mustafa Ibrahim and Basim Omer were killed and 19 other civilians were injured, some of them seriously.
• On 16 January 2025, the Turkish state continued its attacks against the civilian population. Warplanes repeatedly bombed the vigil at the Tishrin Dam. One of the activists involved was killed and 17 people, including 3 journalists, were injured.
• Also on 17 January 2025, the village of Sirrin and the surroundings of the Tishrin Dam were bombed by drones of the Turkish occupation state.

Why is Kobane being targeted again by Turkey?

In parallel with the advance of the paramilitary jihadist HTS groups in Syria, Turkey has also been coordinating new attacks by NSA jihadists and the Turkish army on the areas of the Democratic Autonomous Administration since 27 November 2007. Following the displacement of some 200,000 people from the Til Rifat-Sheba region and the violent occupation of Minbic, Turkey has declared the Kobane region a particular target. In order to cut the link between Kobane and the city of Reqqa and the Cizire region, the Turkish army has also been intensively bombing the districts of Ain-Issa and Til Temir for weeks. In addition, on 13 December, the Turkish army, together with NSA jihadists, launched a major attack on the Qaraqozak Bridge and the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates in order to encircle the city and cut off the electricity and water supply to the entire region. The regions of Tishrin and Qereqozaq are among the most strategically important points in northern Syria in military, political, economic and infrastructural terms.

The continuing attacks have been repeatedly repelled by SDF and YPJ units. However, Turkey has stationed large contingents of troops along the border to launch another occupation attack on Kobane. The Turkish government cynically calls its plan, which is accompanied by renewed massacres, destruction and ‘ethnic cleansing’, the ‘establishmentof a security zone’. On 17 December, the commander of the SDF, Mazloum Abdi, publicly proposed ‘a demilitarised zone in the city of Kobane with a redistribution of security forces under American supervision and presence’ in order to ‘address Turkey’s security concerns and ensure lasting stability’.

However, the Turkish army and its NSA ground forces have continued to intensify their attacks and threats. In contrast, the people of Kobane, the Defence Forces and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria have once again demonstrated their willingness to defend Kobane and the Democratic Autonomous Administration. On 8 January 2025, the first civilian convoy to protect the Tishrin Dam left Kobane with hundreds of cars. Despite the deadly drone attacks on the convoy and the continued bombing of the area around the dam, thousands of people from Kobane and other regions of the Democratic Autonomous Administration continue their constant vigil at the dam. New people are arriving every day to prevent the bombing from causing the dam to burst, which would trigger devastating floods and a humanitarian and ecological disaster with repercussions in northern Syria and Iraq.

The vigil participants’ message is: “The defence of Qereqozaq and Tishrin is the defence of Kobane!” The people in Northern Kurdistan are also aware of this and support the resistance with vigils and demonstrations along the border. International mobilisations and declarations of solidarity make it clear that the defence of Kobane and the Rojava revolution is not only crucial for the future of the people of Kobane, but also has global significance.

17.01.2025
Kongra Star Information Centre

Responding in an organized way to the problems ahead is a form of self-defense that the society of North and East Syria has learned well. Nevertheless, the reality for the people who have once again had to leave everything behind is extremely harsh. Listen to the women sharing their experience.

The women’s revolution in North and East Syria (NES) has become well-known around the world. For most people familiar with the revolution, it brings to mind the Kurdish-led, all-female fighting force known as the Women’s Protections Units (YPJ) and the key role they played in the defeat of Islamic State (ISIS). But the women’s revolution cannot be reduced only to its military aspects. On the contrary, it has made an impact in every part of political, economic and social life.

The women’s movement has established numerous organisations and institutions within and linked to the governing Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) to address the challenges women face in society. These initiatives provide structural solutions, including safe houses for women in danger, educational opportunities for both women and men, and programmes to foster women’s economic independence.

Mala Jin: Women’s Houses

One such institution is the “Mala Jin” (Women’s Houses), spaces organised by women to offer help and support to those facing family issues or civil disputes. These houses provide a refuge and a framework for resolving conflicts.

The first Mala Jin officially opened on 20 March 2011, predating the Rojava Revolution, which began on 19 July 2012. It was established by Kongra Star (formerly Yekitiya Star), an organisation founded in 2005 as a clandestine network of mostly Kurdish women operating under the Ba’ath regime. In its early years, many members faced persecution, including arrests and torture by security forces.

Evolution Over Time

Since the opening of the first Mala Jin, 13 years have passed, during which the region has endured civil war and revolution. These events have transformed society but left behind a traumatized population and grieving families, alongside a monumental task of reconstruction. The pre-existing violence against women and children has been exacerbated by the conflict.

Today, there are 47 Mala Jin across North and East Syria, providing counsel to women and families. They address social issues such as domestic violence, child marriage, divorce, and inheritance. Their primary activities include mediation, reconciliation, and education. Additionally, they offer safe shelters for women in crisis.

Mediation and Reconciliation

Most cases brought to the Mala Jin are resolved internally through mediation by their members. When needed, the Mala Jin collaborates with other women’s structures within the administration, ranging from Social Reconciliation Committees at the commune level (the smallest local decision-making body) to the Women’s Justice Committee, which operates at the sub-district and regional levels, and the Social Justice Committee of Kongra Star.

Conflicts between husbands and wives are the most frequently reported cases. Separate meetings are first held with each party—starting with the wife—to ensure a safe environment for open discussion. Once both are prepared, joint sessions are organized to facilitate dialogue and help them reach a mutual understanding. The Mala Jin monitors these cases through home visits and remains available for follow-up.

If mediation fails, the case is escalated to the courts. Representatives of the Mala Jin assist by offering advice and opinions to judges while providing support to the women involved. The court operates on a three-person panel comprising both men and women.

Addressing Domestic Violence

In cases of domestic violence or threats, women can seek protection at the Mala Jin. Outside of operating hours, they can turn to the Women’s Internal Security Forces (Asayîşa Jin), who coordinate with the Mala Jin. Visible injuries are documented in hospital reports, which are directly forwarded to the appropriate court. The Women’s Internal Security Forces arrest perpetrators, and investigations are conducted by the Women’s Justice Council.

For women unable to leave their homes, relatives or neighbors can report the abuse to the Mala Jin or the local commune. Members of the Mala Jin and the Women’s Internal Security Forces respond promptly, removing the women from harm, documenting evidence, and filing criminal cases against the perpetrators.

The Mala Jin also conducts routine house visits to observe women for signs of abuse or distress. If domestic violence is suspected, immediate action is taken to ensure the woman’s safety.

Women in need of protection can stay at temporary Women’s Protection Houses until a long-term solution is found. For those who cannot return home safely, alternative housing and employment opportunities are arranged.

Education Initiatives

Education is another vital aspect of the Mala Jin’s work. They provide training to both men and women on topics such as women’s rights, health, marital issues, and underage marriage. These programs aim to raise awareness, strengthen community ties, and challenge entrenched social norms.

Transforming Society

The collective efforts of the Mala Jin have paved the way for real societal change. As women become more aware of their rights and the support systems available to them, communities are experiencing a shift in mindset. Men are increasingly held accountable for their actions, and educational opportunities encourage them to adopt progressive attitudes.

The Mala Jin continues to adapt its services to meet the evolving needs of society. Following the Turkish military’s occupation of Afrin (Efrîn), Tel Abyad (Girê Spî), and Ras al-Ayn (Serê Kaniyê) in 2018 and 2019, the region has faced large-scale displacement and ongoing attacks. Turkish military operations have also destroyed civilian infrastructure, leaving millions without reliable electricity or running water.

These challenges place immense pressure on the women of North and East Syria, but the Mala Jin perseveres. Through their tireless work, they are building a new society rooted in women’s liberation and resilience.

Qamishlo – The Social Affairs Committee formed by Kongra Star in North and East Syria in 2019 carries out activities for everyone, especially women, children and people with special needs.

NuJINHA spoke to Leyla Huseyîn of the management of the committee about the activities of the committee.

‘Our aim is to organize society’

“The Social Affairs Committee is an autonomous committee based on democracy and equality. We hold seminars for women, children and people with special needs. We also develop projects for them. Our aim is to organize society.”

‘Our second aim is to eradicate the patriarchal mindset from society’

The goal of the committee is to solve social problems, Leyla Huseyîn stressed, adding: “Our second aim is to eradicate the patriarchal mindset from society because violence against women and children was on the rise before the revolution in Rojava. We have held awareness-raising seminars and activities to destroy the patriarchal mindset.”

Activities for individuals with disabilities

The Social Affairs Committee has a committee combating violence against women. “The members of this committee visit families every month. It also holds awareness-raising activities to eliminate violence against women. It monitors many social issues such as divorce, early marriage and gender-based violence. It also offers painting and music courses to children and provides treatment to individuals with disabilities.”

‘We defend the women’s revolution’

Speaking about their activities in 2025, Leyla Huseyîn said, “We have a plan for 2025. We will visit families to raise awareness. We will organize more seminars and educational activities and keep providing treatment to individuals with disabilities. The revolution in Rojava, also known as women’s revolution, has given many opportunities for women to enjoy their rights. As the committee, we defend the women’s revolution.”

Kongra Star Economy Committee [Aboriya Jin] develops projects to promote women’s economic empowerment. In 2018, the committee started a cooperative called “Demsal” in the city of Hasakah. Since then, the committee has developed and realized many projects to increase women’s labor force participation. Inanna Restaurant, one of these projects, offers large thin flatbread, seasonal food and products. The cooperative creates employment for 10 women.

Why Demsal?

We decided to name the cooperative “Demsal” because it means season in Kurdish, said Nisrîn Şêxo, one of the managers of the cooperative.

“Women play an important role in all facets of life, ensuring the reliable, equal and just development of the social economy,” she told NuJINHA. “We know that the cooperative system will be developed by women’s leadership. We named the cooperative ‘Demsal’ because we offer food and productions for four seasons. These days, women work to prepare canned food such as apples, zucchini, grapes, eggplant marmalades and jams and make cheese and tomato paste. Next month, we will make fruit paste and walnuts on a string dipped in starch grape molasses to be consumed by people celebrating the beginning of the year.

10 women work at restaurant

The cooperative creates employment for 10 women. “10 women work for the cooperative in solidarity with each other. The Demsal Cooperative has many projects and one of them is the Inanna Restaurant offering large thin flatbread, seasonal food and products. Since Hasakah suffers from water outages, the cooperative provides a space for people to wash their carpets.”

‘We want women to achieve their economic independence’

The Inanna Restaurant plays an important role in the development of the Demsal Cooperative, Nisrîn Şêxo emphasized. “Inanna is the ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She controls both life and death. We named our restaurant as Inanna because all the local dishes offered by our restaurant are cooked and served by women. We want women to achieve their economic independence through cooperatives.”

‘Women’s solidarity leads the cooperative to success’

“Women’s solidarity leads the cooperative to success,” said Celîla Hisên, one of the founders of the cooperative. “I am one of the founders of the cooperative. 10 women work for the cooperative by supporting and being in solidarity with each other. Both Kurdish and Arab women work for the cooperative. The aim of the cooperative is to promote women’s economic empowerment.”

Dêrik- The Women’s Economy of the Kongra Star develops projects to increase women’s participation in the labour force in Dêrik (Al-Malikiyah), a city in Jazira Canton of North and East Syria. It opened a furniture store named “Star” in the city two months ago to promote women’s economic empowerment. NuJINHA spoke to Asya Osman, member of the Women’s Economy, about the store.

‘We aim to promote women’s economic empowerment’

 “We opened the store to increase women’s participation in the labour force,” Asya Osman said, adding, “We have already put many agricultural projects into practice and now we aim to promote women’s participation in the business. We have rented the building to open a furniture store for a long time. Despite financial difficulties, we managed to open it two months ago. Women make furniture in the city of Qamishlo and we sell them at the store.”

‘Women should be active in the labour force’

Women should be active in the labour force, Asya Osman stressed. “The store opens from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Every day, many people visit the store to buy furniture for their houses. We wish success to all women in the labour force and call on all women to participate in the labour force. Women should work to achieve their economic independence.”