The first women’s agricultural cooperative society has been formed in the area of Cindirêsê in Afrîn, with the participation of twelve members from Kongreya Star, the communes and civil society in the area.
Behind the frontlines in Syria, a self-governing Kurdish region is making a radical attempt at gender equality. The brutal recapture of Aleppo by Syrian government forces and its allies at the end of 2016 does not bode well for another enclave of resistance: the predominantly Kurdish area in northern Syria. Here, in a long strip
”Considering the economic situation, the deterioration of the living conditions and the lives of some of the people who live around the two communes, some steps have been taken to help them and support them financially. By letting people participate in the co-operative as members and workers who sell necessities at reduced prices, we help the people to endure the living conditions in the suburbs. There are some people who live in the neighbourhood working in the two projects, and that is reducing unemployment and creating a workforce. We are aiming to increase the economic projects around the commune in order to include more people, help them and cover their needs.”
The Women’s Office in east Qamishlo [Qamişlo / Qamishli / Al-Qamishli] has opened a bakery called Lilit to make pastries and manakish. The opening was attended by many of Qamishlo’s residents, as well as members of Kongreya Star [the women’s movement umbrella structure], local councils and institutions of civil society. We headed to Qamishlo’s eastern municipality to get more information,
The Economic Committee of the canton Kobanî [Kobanê] had a meeting to decide on further steps to take. At the meeting, the committee’s new co-chairs were elected, and important decisions were taken─for example, about the creation of new cooperatives and a new union for the cooperatives. After the military victory which captured the world’s attention, Kobanê has
The militias of the YPG and YPJ are fighting in Rojava, a Syrian border region of 18,300 square kilometers that is next to Turkey and is divided in three cantons (regions): Kobanî [Kobanê / Kobane], Cizîrê [Cezîre / Jazira Canton] and Afrîn [Afrin / Efrîn]. In these territories, agriculture (wheat being the main product), and petrol are
Recognising that women are involved in all sectors of the economy in Rojava, Co-chair of the Economic Committee, Leman Hesseno, says they are strongest in agricultural cooperatives. The co-chair of the Economic Committee, Leman Hesseno, told ANF’s Beritan Sarya about the level of the development of the women’s economy and the problems they have experienced. Hesseno who
The Revolution in Rojava has its own special dynamic that is difficult to express with words. In a positive sense, it is surprising. At first sight, the Kurdish Freedom Movement can seem to be too much oriented towards a practical approach and with not enough focus on theory, yet, they actually do have a very well-defined
AMED – The Mesopotamya Youth Research Centre Textile Cooperative was launched in 2015 in Diyarbakir [Amed]. The cooperative is working collectively against labour exploitation, and is specifically geared towards women. The textile cooperative is attracting attention with its activities for young people, culture and arts, sports and vocational courses and communal living. They have opened a workshop
A group of mostly women residents of Qamishlo set up Shîlan Co-operative for the sale of underwear on 7th January, 2017 in Hilaliya, a neighborhood in Qamishlo. They were able to establish the co-operative with the support of the local council of the city.
In the east of Turkey, next to Iran, we find the province Van [Wan]. Here, the Kurdish movement is developing several projects, including cooperatives for the production and distribution of local food products. These cooperatives are backed by the Economic Commission of the Congress for a Social Democracy (DTK). Some of its objectives consist in
The women of Rojava are creating their own economy by founding cooperatives. Having faced a lot of resistance from their communities, with people telling them that they would not be able to do this, they now rejoice at their successes. “Now, we are stronger,” they say. As leaders of the revolution, women in Rojava are
