[News] These Kurdish Women Have a Message on International Women's Day

[Anti-Imperialist News]

*http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/These-Kurdish-Women-Have-a-Message-on-International-Womens-Day-20160308-0008.html* 



  These Kurdish Women Have a Message on International Women's Day

March 8, 2016

Published 8 March 2016

This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address:
  "http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/These-Kurdish-Women-Have-a-Message-on-International-Womens-Day-20160308-0008.html" 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/These-Kurdish-Women-Have-a-Message-on-International-Womens-Day-20160308-0008.html>. If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english



Published 8 March 2016

This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address:
  "http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/These-Kurdish-Women-Have-a-Message-on-International-Womens-Day-20160308-0008.html" 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/These-Kurdish-Women-Have-a-Message-on-International-Womens-Day-20160308-0008.html>. If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english


The group have been praised by Western feminists for confronting 
traditional gender roles and redefining the role women play in conflict.

A Kurdish women's defense unit, fighting against the Islamic State group 
in Iraqi Kurdistan, issued a message March 8 for International Women's 
Day, saluting the Kurdish People's Protection Units, known as the YPG.

“We are resisting against members of (the Islamic State group), and we 
will continue to resist until the end. We call on all women to increase 
(their) strength and break the silence about these massacres,” the 
group, YJA-STAR,said in a statement.

Ferasin Berfin, a female combatant, said March 8 is an important day for 
women. "It was created by the resistance of all women in the world. We 
must all take to the streets. As Kurdish women, every day is March 8.”

“We have become aware and fight against the patriarchal dominant mindset 
with the leadership of leader Abdullah Ocalan," she added.

Abdullah Ocalan 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/Free-Abdullah-calan-20160214-0011.html> 
is the jailed founder of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, and he is 
thought to have helped guide the group's demands for gender equality and 
“women’s liberation.”

*RELATED:* Kurdish Women Turning Kobani into a Living 'Hell' for Islamic 
State 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Kurdish-Women-Turning-Kobani-into-a-Living-Hell-for-Islamic-State-20141014-0072.html> 


The PKK has itself been called a feminist movement, although the group's 
struggle encompasses a wide-range of demands, including democratic 
confederalism and autonomy.

*PKK fighters pose with a displaced Yazidi woman (R) | Photo: Reuters*

“Kurdish women have paid a very high price. We must resist in all areas 
of life, and now we are part of the frontline to fight members of 
Daesh,” said Berfin. “We have given our word to the people, we will 
continue to resist until victory."

Sitrra Jiyan, who is of Armenian origin, said that in the "annals of 
history, women have been considered the goddesses of freedom and 
equality, but women have fallen captive of the mentality dominated by men.”

“Women have a strong will and energy. We salute the resistance of the 
YPS-Jin (Women's Civilian Defense Units) with the spirit of March 8. 
Worker women are women who resist," she added.

In 2015, Kurdish female soldiers took a break from fighting the Islamic 
State group to celebrate International Women’s Day. In the Syrian town 
of Kobane, hundreds gathered to mark the day and honor the women who 
died protecting the city.

-- 
Freedom Archives 522 Valencia Street San Francisco, CA 94110 415 
863.9977 www.freedomarchives.org
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