When we speak of struggle, we conjure up an image as old as human
civilization: the eternal tension between oppression and freedom,silence and voice, imprisonment and liberation. But rarely in history
has this dichotomy found such vivid expression as in the ongoing journey
of Kurdish women in Rojava (northern Syria) and Southern Kurdistan
(northern Iraq). Their story is one of defiance, resilience, and
transformation, a tale that marries poetry and resistance, and one that
demands both our admiration and our solidarity.
Kurdish women have long been bound by a legacy of marginalization, not
only by the patriarchal traditions of their communities, but also by
oppressive regimes that have sought to erase Kurdish identity itself.
Yet from these ashes, they have risen, phoenix-like, as leaders,
warriors, and visionaries. They are architects of a feminist revolution,
a vanguard in the fight for gender equality in some of the most hostile
terrains imaginable. Their struggle, though specific to their cultural
and historical context, resonates universally, calling us all to
reimagine the possibilities of freedom.
But to understand the scope of their achievements, we must first
recognize the context of their oppression. For decades, Kurdish women in
Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran have been marginalized three times: as
Kurds within oppressive nation-states, as women within deeply
patriarchal societies, and as individuals within a global system that
has often overlooked their plight. Rojava, the autonomous region in
northeast Syria, and Iraqi Kurdistan have become crucibles of their
resistance.
In Southern Kurdistan and Iraq, the scars of the Anfal campaign remain
seared into the collective memory: a genocidal assault under Saddam
Hussein that claimed tens of thousands of Kurdish lives, leaving
countless women widowed, displaced, and vulnerable. Similarly, in
Rojava, the Syrian civil war created a governance and security vacuum,
where patriarchal violence, extremist ideologies, and systemic neglect
threatened to overwhelm Kurdish women.
But Kurdish women did not accept victimization as their fate. Instead,
they redefined it, wielding their oppression as a weapon of defiance,
forging solidarity, and creating spaces for autonomy, rights, and dignity.
Nowhere is this defiance more evident than in Rojava, where Kurdish
women have led a feminist and ecological revolution that challenges not
only patriarchy, but the very structures of state and capital. At the
heart of this revolution is the principle of "Jineology," a Kurdish
feminist philosophy that derives from the Kurdish word for "woman," jin,
and claims the central role of women in society.
Jineology radically departs from both traditional gender roles and
Western liberal feminism. It insists that the liberation of society as a
whole is impossible without the liberation of women. In Rojava, this
philosophy has translated into tangible governance structures. Women
serve at all levels of political leadership, from local councils to
military command. The co-presidency system requires that every
leadership position be shared by a man and a woman, ensuring gender
parity in decision-making.
This is not just a symbol. The women of Rojava have rewritten laws that
once legitimized forced marriages, honor killings, and domestic
violence. They have built women's homes, education, mediation, and
support centers, and founded cooperatives to promote economic
independence. These are acts of quiet revolution, rooted not just in
theory, but in lived and practical transformation.
The world first took notice of the struggle of Kurdish women during the
Battle of Kobane in 2014, when images of young women in camouflage,
armed with Kalashnikovs, began circulating in global media. These women,
members of the Women's Protection Units (YPJ), were on the front lines
against ISIS, one of the most brutal and misogynistic forces of the 21st
century. Their courage and tactical brilliance turned the tide of the
battle, wresting Kobane from ISIS's grip and earning them the admiration
of the world.
But this is not just a story of military triumph. For the women of the
YPJ, armed resistance is an extension of their feminist ideology. They
are fighting not just for territorial sovereignty, but for broader
liberation from patriarchy and authoritarianism. In their eyes, the gun
is not an instrument of domination, but a vehicle for dismantling
structures of oppression.
In Iraqi Kurdistan, the fight for women's rights has taken a different
but equally significant path. Here, Kurdish women have emerged as
activists, politicians, and advocates, challenging entrenched cultural
norms and pushing for legal reforms.
Organizations like the Kurdistan Women's Union and the Kurdistan Women's
Rights Organization have campaigned tirelessly against gender-based
violence, child marriage, and female genital mutilation. Their efforts
have led to major legal victories, including the criminalization of
honor killings and the establishment of shelters for survivors of
domestic violence.
However, progress is fragile. Traditional norms and political
instability continue to pose challenges. For every woman who enters
parliament or leads a protest, there are countless others whose voices
go unheard, whose rights go unfulfilled. But here too, Kurdish women
draw strength from their collective struggle, refusing to give in to
adversity. There is also the worrying situation where many Kurdish
activists are targeted by drone strikes or assassinations by the Turkish
military, as we have seen repeatedly in recent years.
However, the achievements of Kurdish women go far beyond their immediate
context. They have become a symbol of resistance and an inspiration for
feminist movements around the world. Their struggle challenges Western
feminists to reconsider the intersections of gender, ethnicity and
colonialism. It reminds us that liberation is not a gift bestowed from
above, but a tough battle fought from below.
Kurdish women have also forged transnational solidarities, collaborating
with feminist organizations around the world to amplify their message.
Their work has shown us that feminism cannot be separated from questions
of economic justice, ecological sustainability and ethnic
self-determination. It must be holistic, intersectional and
uncompromising. In this way, the ideology of Democratic Confederalism is
significant, as are the writings of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan.
As we reflect on the Kurdish women's struggle, we must not overlook its
poetic dimension. Their revolution is not simply a political act; it is
also deeply cultural. Through their songs, dances, and stories, Kurdish
women have preserved their legacy and infused their resistance with a
deep sense of identity and purpose.
Listen to their voices and you will hear echoes of Mala Jin, the Kurdish
women's homes that are both spaces of refuge and revolution. You will
hear the defiant songs of women in Kobane and the passionate speeches of
activists in Sulaymaniyah. You will hear the rhythms of a people who,
even in the face of unimaginable suffering, refuse to give up their hope.
Finally, let us ask ourselves: what does the Kurdish women's struggle
ask of us? At the very least, it asks us to bear witness. It asks us to
tell their stories, amplifying their voices in a world that too often
silences them. But more than that, it calls us to action. It challenges
us to dismantle systems of oppression in our communities, to fight for
gender equality not as an abstract ideal, but as a lived reality.
Kurdish women have shown us what is possible when courage meets
conviction, when feminism becomes not just a theory but a practice, a
way of life. They have taught us that liberation is not a destination
but a journey, that requires walking together, hand in hand, towards a
future where every woman, everywhere, can live free. This is the true
essence of the Kurdish slogan "Jin, Jiyan Azadi" (Women, Life, Freedom),
which you can hear chanted all over the world.
Source: https://dckurd.org/2025/02/11/kurdish-women-freedom/
https://ponte.noblogs.org/2025/3972/donne-curde-ridefinire-la-liberta-attraverso-la-resilienza/
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