Women Defend Rojava

13 Years Of Struggle Against Patriarchy And For Women’s Liberation. Thirteen years ago, a revolution began in North and East Syria that has fundamentally changed life and society in the region. As the uprisings in Syria began, the Kurdish people seized their historic opportunity to organise themselves into communes and councils in the Kurdish-majority region of Rojava (Western Kurdistan). In doing so, they laid the foundations for a continually evolving …

It is summer: Harvest time. Here at the Navenda Jiyan Natural Health Center, seeds are collected every day. Plants are watered, bees are fed, potatoes are harvested, and flowers and leaves are diligently picked. The results of this laborious work are gathered in the drying room, where they slowly dried to be used later for medicinal purposes by the Centre. Other items are processed directly into oil or distilled: to …

This month’s newsletter highlights the ongoing campaign for Abdullah Öcalan’s freedom ‘I want to see Öcalan ’ and the demands for his freedom from women in North and East Syria. We update on recent efforts for peace, the challenges of sectarian violence, and we remember past massacres: the threat of the mercenaries is still alive. Assemblies about the co-presidency system demonstrate the progress of women’s leadership. Finally, we share with …

“When we arrived in Jinwar, women and children came out of their houses to greet us. There was an atmosphere of joy and curiosity – a desire to know each other, our different stories and our shared visions.” Julia, an internationalist describes her arrival in Jinwar, a women’s village in North and East Syria. Jinwar is home to many different women that have decided to join the community for a …

The first congress of the Regional Democratic Women’s Coalition in the Middle East and North Africa (NADA) took place in Suleymaniya on May 15th, 16th, and 17th, 2025. Around 200 women from 19 different countries participated, including representatives from Kurdistan, Afghanistan, Palestine, Iran, and others. This congress was a strategic event for women and society in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as an important step toward building …

Hîlala Zêrîn translates to “golden crescent moon” and refers to the Fertile Crescent, the territory between the Zagros and Taurus mountains. This region was the birthplace of the Neolithic revolution and the location of the earliest civilizations and cities. Archaeologists have also found evidence of ancient matriarchal societies in the Fertile Crescent. Hîlala Zêrîn is a women’s cultural movement which links cultural techniques and historical research to women’s liberation. Women …

The birthday of Abdullah Öcalan has been celebrated throughout North and East Syria, with music, dancing, and much joy. In many cities and villages, including the women’s village of Jinwar, trees were planted as a symbol of ecological renewal. We, the women and people of North and East Syria, know that without him, his paradigm, and the people’s movement he initiated, the revolution in Rojava would never have been possible. …

“With this conference, we are laying the foundation for a new history—the history of the unity of the Kurdish people, led by the vanguard of Kurdish women. Just as women in Rojava have been at the forefront in all fields, they are also leading the way in building a democratic Syria.” — Perwîn Yûsif (PYD) On March 23, 2025, in Qamishlo, under the slogan “With the vanguard of women, Kurdish …

To the public Once again, the Turkish state has committed war crimes in South Kurdistan and targeted revolutionary women there. Once again, it has made its hostility towards women clear and demonstrated its inhumanity to the world. When our coordination member, Hiva Arebu, went to South Kurdistan to meet with other women’s organizations on January 27, 2025, she became the target of the Turkish state and was killed. On behalf …