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| 28-January-2025 |
Since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria on December 8, 2024, discussions have been underway about the future of Syria, and with that, the new opportunities for a democratic reconstruction of Syrian society.
It is essential that society itself shapes and advances this reconstruction. It is also essential that Syria’s women are involved in shaping this process by co-constructing politics and all spheres of life in a self-determined way.
Syria has been in a state of civil war for more than a decade, a process which began with an uprising against the oppressive Baathist regime. In the 13 years that followed, society was repeatedly confronted with the most atrocious crimes against humanity by various terrorist groups such as the so-called Islamic State or invasion attacks by the Turkish state in violation of international law.
In Northern and Eastern Syria, the Kurdish population has been building a self-governing society based on women’s liberation, ecology and grassroots democracy since 2012. Women have played a very important role in this. In this social model, women take on responsibility and are represented in all areas of social and political life. They have organized themselves to defend themselves and the lives of all. The women’s defense units of the YPJ, together with the YPG and SDF, fought against the Islamic State and liberated numerous cities from its reign. The social model of democratic confederalism in Northern and Eastern Syria has created a multi-ethnic and multi-religious coexistence that can serve as a model for re-organization across Syria.
Women in Syria have united and organized to fight back against the attacks on women and society as a whole. They are determined to work towards shaping the peace process, for a democratic society, and for truth and justice. For this reason, on December 22, 2024, the Syrian Women’s Council presented a declaration to reshape Syria. In this declaration, the association, made up of women from different ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds, calls for the decisive participation of women and all parts of Syrian society in the political processes.
We support the 13 goals and demands developed by the Syrian Women’s Council to build a new democratic Syria based on women’s participation (link). Moreover, the recognition and participation of the Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (DAANES) in the current process is also essential for a democratic future in Syria.
We call on the international community and all political actors to officially recognise the DAANES, to directly support the civil organisations there and to establish long-term cooperation. We call for support and political alliances with democratic women’s organizations and civil society across Syria, rather than cooperation with jihadist groups whose ideology and practice is based on the humiliation and violent oppression of women.
We also call for an immediate halt to arms deliveries and political concessions to Turkey. Diplomatic relations with the democratic forces in Syria must be strengthened in order to stop Turkey’s violent attacks, to end the war and to enable the construction of a democratic Syria.
Now is the time to strengthen the democratic forces in the Middle East, like the DAANES, and to stand with the women fighting for freedom, peace and democracy in Syria!
See all signatories here.
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| Maryam Namazie is a political activist, campaigner and blogger |
