Zêrîn Kurtay- Rûksen Efrîn /JINHA

QAMİŞLO – In the city of Qamişlo, in the Rojava autonomous region of Syria, young women have taken up a radical struggle against patriarchy.

Three years ago, the Young Women’s Organization was founded in Qamişlo, located in the Cizîrê Canton of the Rojava autonomous region of Syria. The group was formed soon after the start of the Rojava revolution, which brought autonomy and a new women-led practice of revolution to Rojava. Today, the Young Women’s Organization is engaged in a radical struggle against practices like forcing children to marry. The group goes from village to village and neighborhood to neighborhood organizing young women’s education programs, activities and protests. Committees work on ensuring that young women have a role in all parts of society in Rojava
The organizaton’s first action three years ago was to start educational programs for young women with the slogan “stand up for yourself.” They are working not just to develop the leaders of the next generation, but to stop forced marriage of girls through education for young women.

“As young women, we are trying to prevent forced marriage of children with a radical perspective,” said member Rûheyv Agirî. “In order to change this mindset and develop a conscious, moral society, we emphasize education for young women.”

Rûheyv noted that the Daesh attacks on Rojava and its revolution were above all attacks on women.

“Young women are close to the land and have a spirit of freedom and resistance, so Daesh gangs see Kurdish young people and women as a threat and they attack women the most,” she said. “But as young women, we can speak back by strengthening our organization, our stance and our participation” in the revolution. “It’s with the leadership of young women that we will found a free society.”

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