The Party of Free Women from Kurdistan (PAJK) has issued a statement expressing strong support for imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s historic call for the dissolution of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the pursuit of a democratic solution to the Kurdish question. PAJK declared its full commitment to the realisation of Öcalan’s vision and stressed that the struggle for women’s liberation is inseparable from the broader struggle for peace, democracy and social justice in the region.
The statement highlights Öcalan’s decades-long role in shaping the Kurdish women’s movement, particularly through his 1998 declaration of the ideology of women’s liberation.
"Under Öcalan's leadership, Kurdish women have gained an organisational identity, ideological strength and unwavering willpower. His perspective has illuminated the path of liberation for us," PAJK affirmed.
The organisation pledged to continue its vanguard role in “dismantling patriarchal domination and building a free life”, highlighting the pioneering contributions of Kurdish women throughout history. PAJK was established as the ideological and political arm of the Kurdish women’s movement within the PKK, evolving over time into an independent organisation focused on women’s liberation and socialist transformation. Öcalan has consistently emphasised the significance of PAJK, viewing women’s freedom as the cornerstone of a truly democratic society.
Öcalan, who has been imprisoned on Turkey’s İmralı Island since 1999, introduced an ideology of women’s liberation grounded in a new feminist science, known as Jineology. This science, which is centred on the concept of ‘women by women’, has been advanced by Kurdish women over the past decades, forming the basis for their ongoing struggle for gender equality and freedom.
Öcalan argues that all forms of oppression—whether based on class, ethnicity, or nationality—are rooted in the historical subjugation of women. According to PAJK, dismantling patriarchal structures is crucial for achieving genuine democracy and social justice.
PAJK continues to play a central role in shaping the ideological framework of the Kurdish struggle, advocating radical democracy and the dismantling of patriarchal structures.
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PAJK’s statement follows Öcalan’s appeal on 27 February, in which he declared that the PKK had “completed its lifespan” and called for its dissolution to pave the way for a democratic solution. In response, the PKK announced a ceasefire from 1 March and vowed that its forces would refrain from armed action unless attacked. The move has stirred political debate, with growing national and international calls for Öcalan’s release as part of a wider peace process.
In its statement, PAJK linked its struggle to the upcoming International Women’s Day on 8 March, describing it as a new moment of mobilisation for the Kurdish women’s movement. PAJK said:
"8 March has always been a day of resistance and transformation for us. This year it marks a turning point in the struggle for peace and the realisation of Öcalan's vision. Women will lead the way in this new phase."
The organisation also stressed that achieving lasting peace requires the dismantling of deeply-rooted male-dominated systems, both within Kurdish society and beyond. “There can be no free society without free women,” the statement said, calling for a collective effort to advance women’s liberation as a fundamental pillar of social transformation.
