In the last session on women’s struggle of the two-day 17th International Kurdish Conference organised by the EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) in the European Parliament, the participants discussed on Thursday the global “Jîn, Jîyan, Azadi” movement led by Kurdish women.
“The states only talk to the states, what we want is a world where women talk to women,” said anthropologist Neşe Özgen from Germany, the moderator of the panel, recalling women’s struggles in different places throughout history.
Özgen called on all women of the world to “build the world women’s democratic confederalism together”.
Speaking about “Jîn, Jîyan, Azadi” as a paradigm of freedom, Maryam Fathi of the East Kurdistan Free Women’s Association (KJAR) from Spain stated that the sexist systems have always targeted women and emphasised that the Iranian regime has been against women for the last 40 years.
“Women fighting in Kurdistan turned their slogan into an international one,” said Fathi. “Women in every corner of the world are now expressing their anger against the Iranian government with this slogan.”
Among several different issues in Iran, including the environment, Fathi emphasised the ongoing resistance despite torture, executions, killings and poisoning attacks.
“Kurdish rights are human rights, and a part of international law,” said MEP Evin İncir from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, and stated that violations of human rights should be fought regardless of where they are occurring.
Kurdish women have always been at the forefront of the struggle for democracy and freedom, according to İncir, who said that “Jîn, Jîyan, Azadi, three very important words,” and added, “We say that women should also unite in parallel with our call for the unification of the proletariat.“