In Rojava lives the women’s revolution. There the active attempt is made to live social emancipation from patriarchy and to fight it. Since the beginning of Turkey’s war of aggression against the self-governing territories in northern and eastern Syria, however, this attempt towards a liberated society has been massively endangered.
These structures and in particular the achievements of women in Rojava deserve our solidarity.
In Rojava, women are involved at all levels of society. Starting from the grassroots, there is an equal, autonomous and political women’s organisation, which has a say in all matters. Only women decide about themselves and their interests and work actively to become the women they want to be and not the ones the patriarchal system would like to be. There are also economic attempts for women to organise themselves independently. Cooperatives have been set up which are run only by women, making them economically independent. And also for legitimate self-defence there are pure women’s self-defence units, the YPJ.
It is only through autonomous organisation in all areas that women have managed to emancipate themselves and live together. They are a role model for us and give women all over the world strength and courage to empower themselves with their struggle.
Another practical example of the autonomous organisation of women in Rojava is the village of Jinwar, where only women and children live. It is therefore a place where women organize their lives for themselves, where they find protection from patriarchy, but also a starting point to be and become themselves and to influence the rest of society in a stronger way. In order to come to oneself as a woman in this patriarchal-capitalist modernity, spaces like these are needed: Spaces in which we can form, discuss and experience co-operativeness together. Because female emancipation is possible through these moments in which we strengthen ourselves to create another world! Spaces that donate power and protection at the same time.
The freedom of society depends on the freedom of women. We must understand that women’s freedom must be actively fought for: now and everywhere! And thereby the women’s revolution in Rojava will be defended.
Without the women’s revolution there is no revolution!
Thus the current Turkish invasion is not only a military attack against the free self-governing population in Northern and Eastern Syria, but also an attack of the capitalist-patriarchal system on gender liberation and on the search for a society liberated on all sides. The patriarchs of capitalist empires and nation states, despite their differences, agree to defend themselves against self-governing projects like this one. They have much to lose, their power, their influence, their male domination. And because we are becoming dangerous to them, they are defending themselves. Let them be afraid, let them tremble!
They can kill us, but they cannot kill the idea that Rojava gave us.
The seed has already spread all over the world!
All over the world people and especially women are united in the fight for Rojava and for their own liberation!
Whether here in Germany, in Rojava, in Armenia, Georgia or Azerbaijan, everywhere the patriarchate rages daily and attacks us. But Rojava shows: fighting together makes us strong! Together we can achieve something and unhinge the world as we know it!
Raise your voices, talk with friends, discuss and organize yourselves.
Form autonomous women’s committees and take your place in society, which is your right!
One struggle, one fight – for the international women’s revolution, in solidarity with the women of Rojava, who are so much an example to us!
Jin Jiyan Azadi
Because women who fight are women who live!