RONÎDA HACÎ

Hasakah- The patriarchal mindset restricts women all facets of life and causes the increase in all forms of gender-based violence, femicide, child marriage and polygamy. Women of North and East Syria have been making great efforts to change this mindset since the revolution. However, the number of women subjected to violence and femicide keeps increasing. From July to August 2023, five women were killed and six more women died under suspicious circumstances. Five women were subjected to violence, 28 women committed suicide and two attempted to kill themselves. NuJINHA spoke to Arzu Temo, Spokesperson of the Sara Organization to Combat Violence against Women in North and East Syria.

‘Women are first targeted’

“Since the beginning of the conflicts, women have been making great efforts to end gender-based violence and femicide,” said Arzu Temo. “However, there is an increase in femicide in 2023. The patriarchal mindset targets women and aims to make them the slaves of men and society. Because it knows very well that a society can't be free without free women. Since the enslavement of women means the enslavement of the society as a whole, women are first targeted by this mindset.”

‘Women are subjected to all forms of violence’

Arzo Temo continued her speech by focusing on the solution of the problems caused by violence. “A system has been imposed on women and society for 5,000 years. Women are subjected to all forms of violence in this system. Violence has become a culture in society and many women see this culture as their fate. Until now, women have been making great efforts to end gender-based violence. Why has not the patriarchal mindset changed despite the efforts of women? Because this mindset has imposed a dirty culture on women and society for thousands of years. We should struggle more to change it.”

‘Women rose against gender-based violence’

Emphasizing that the imperialist forces target women to end the power of women emerged following the revolution in Rojava, Arzo Temo said, “The revolution in Rojava is known as a Women’s Revolution because women led this revolution. Women played an important role in this revolution and broke the chain of slavery. Women rose against gender-based violence following the revolution. Now, women demand their rights.”

‘Education plays an important role’

Arzo Temo thinks tribal traditions are dominant in the Middle East and women are killed in the name of “honor”. “Women are killed in the name of ‘honor’. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) has criminalized the killing of women in the name of ‘honor’ and those who commit such a crime face penalties. The killers of women are arrested and punished. Education plays an important role so that all women have the right to make decisions in their own life. Every woman and man should know and respect women’s rights.”

 

Call on women’s organizations

Arzu Temo concluded her speech saying, “The mindset must be changed to end femicide. Since we want to change thousand-year-old mindset, changing this mindset will take time. We call on all women’s organizations to unite so that we can change this mindset. Our organization is a women’s organization combating all forms of violence. As long as women are subjected to violence, our society will be an enslaved and oppressed society. I call on all women and women’s organizations to improve their education level so that we can have a free and political society protecting human rights.”