Three women bake local bread in their “Tandoor House they opened in Çêwlig to have economic freedom. The Tandoor House become the hope for women living in the city and the people of the city prefer to buy bread made by these three women. Zehra Ataoğlu is one of three women and she tells us how they decided to open their bakery.
When Raqqa was liberated four years ago, the city was largely in ruins. The streets were covered in rubble, its citizens were largely displaced, and tens of thousands of mines and IEDs that were left by ISIS littered the city, posing a huge risk to the safety of both security forces and civilians. The education system of the city had been utilized by ISIS to brainwash the people, including children. Services were nonexistent after months of warfare. The status of women in the city had been abysmal under ISIS rule. Raqqa’s society had to be rebuilt from the ground up.
In a time of deep despair, human and ecological crisis, the example of Democratic Autonomy in Rojava has created hope, and given new inspiration to people in Syria and the Middle East. In fact, a lot of people in other parts of the world have become a part of this process and are connecting it to the struggles in their own regions. Despite all the shortcomings and numerous obstacles during the last decade, we have learned that the democratic confederal organization of society can fulfill many spiritual and material needs of society. We have learned that democratic transformation is a continuing process, which requires constant societal and self-reflection. Our achievements are not assured forever, if we do not protect and advance them.
The founding conference of the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations in Northeastern Syria was held in the city of Qamishli.
Nûdem organisation
Aleppo Intellectuals House opened a library to contribute to the ideological and cultural development of the people. Some 500 books about politics, culture, society and history found their places on the shelves.
In Deir ez-Zor, more women have taken part in decision-making at all levels since their city was liberated from ISIS. The women of the city have become stronger since the foundation of the Women’s Council.
Beginning just three years ago with only two women, the Kibele Cooperative run by Kurdish women in Urfa has almost 50 members today and is run using a co-presidency system.
Şükran Yılmaz, who has been making a living by selling grapes growing in her village in Dersim for years, also voluntarily travels from village to village to distribute mulberry and walnut tree seeds to women. The aim of Şükran Yılmaz, who encourages women to take part in the production, is to plant two million mulberry and walnut trees in Dersim.
Delegates at an international forum in Hasekê have held discussions on the critical water shortage in the region caused mainly by Turkey’s diversion of the water flow from the Euphrates in violation of a protocol dated 1987.
TJA started preparations to create women’s cooperatives in Van.
The International Water Forum in North and East Syria has concluded with a series of recommendations from the 300 delegates from inside and outside the country. The Turkish state is to be sued for using water as a weapon of war.
