Women across North and East have launched this year’s actions for the International Women’s Day on 8 March, which has been declared an official public holiday by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). The events and activities are held under the slogan “With the philosophy of Women, Life, Freedom towards a democratic Syria”.
While women’s meetings and activities were held in cities all across North and East Syria, women in Manbij (Minbîc) will not publicly celebrate 8 March this year, after the city was occupied by Turkish-affiliated Syrian National Army (SNA) mercenaries in the beginning of December.
A women’s meeting was held in Şedad, a town in Cizîr canton, in which Kongra Star member Emîra El Seed spoke about the important role that women play in society, highlighting that the oppression of women has an effect on the whole society. “You cannot enslave a people without enslaving women first. The freedom of women means the freedom of society because freedom is contrary to slavery.”
Dozens of women from the Kurdish majority Sheikh Maqsound and Eshrefiya squares gathered in Aleppo for a discussion event about the future of women in Syria organised by the Kongra Star Women’s movement.
A group of women planted 100 oak trees in Minas, a village west of Kobani (Kobanê). The collective stated that they planted the trees as a reminder of the “strong bond between women and nature” and to “increase the green spaces in Kobani as much as possible”.
Arab women organised a cultural night in Hecine in Deir ez-Zor (Dêrazor) canton, drinking traditional Arabic coffee and sharing dates while reading poems about the struggles and hopes of women and about the decisive role women can play in transforming society.
Women in Manbij have spoken to the NuJinha women’s agency, stating that they will celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day “in their hearts”, as they are not able to celebrate it openly in the streets as the SNA mercenaries have started threatening women who leave their houses, forcing them to stay within their homes.
The press centre of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) has shared a video on X, celebrating 8 March with “all the women in the world”. Hundreds of YPJ fighters are seen parading in the video and YPJ commander Rohilat Efrin is seen handing out roses to women fighters.
Bi Yekîtiya Jinên Cîhanê 8’ê Adarê Li Tevahî Jinên Cîhanê Pîroz Bê #YPJ pic.twitter.com/OjqzgiLdzb
— YPJ ROJAVA (@YPJDefense) March 5, 2025
Additionally, Tulay Hatimoğullari, the co-chair of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party has shared a video statement in Arabic for ANHA News agency, in which she addresses all women in the Middle East.
