Syrian women are gathering in al-Hasakah (Hesekê), North and East Syria (Rojava), for a two-day conference focused on shaping their future in a post-Assad regime. Under the slogan “With women’s solidarity, we will build a democratic Syria,” the event, organised by the Kongra Star Women’s Movement, brings women’s organisations together to discuss their role in the country’s transformation.
Five hundred women delegates from Assyrian, Kurdish, Arab, Alawite and Armenian organisations across the Kurdish-led region are participating in the conference. Many women from other Syrian cities, including Aleppo, Homs, Damascus, Suwayda and al-Sahel, are also joining the delegation online.
Foza Yusif, a member of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) Presidential Council, celebrated the fall of the Syrian regime as a victory for all Syrian women. She emphasised that Syrian women have “proved to the world that they are not just supporters of the revolution, but its vanguards.” Although she acknowledged the fall of the regime as an “important step in history”, she stressed that there was still work to be done: “Our fight is far from over.”
Yusif highlighted the importance of continued resistance from women in Syria, warning: “We should not ignore what is happening in Damascus now. There are calls for radical patriarchal ideas.” She criticised Aisha al-Dibs, the new head of the Women’s Affairs Office under the Syrian interim government, describing her as a symbol of the “backward thinking” which aims to place women “under the control of patriarchal dominance”.
Corcêt Bersûm, spokesperson for the Assyrian Women’s Union, followed with a powerful speech, reminding the audience that “great sacrifices have been made in the fight against the male mentality” and stressing that Kurds, Assyrians and Arabs have fought these struggles together. She highlighted the ongoing attacks faced by Assyrian Christians in Syria, including “attacks on religious sites, the burning of Christmas trees, and the forced imposition of hijabs”.
Related Article:
Protests erupt in Christian areas of Damascus after Christmas tree burned
Rohilat Afrin, a member of the Women Protection Units (YPJ) general command, delivered a heartfelt speech celebrating the resilience of YPJ fighters and honouring the martyrs of the Rojava revolution. She emphasised the vital importance of self-defence for women, urging them to organise and declaring, “Every woman whose heart beats for freedom must fight to defend her land.”
