Category: Democracy
Democracy is one of the three main pillars of the Rojava Revolution and the stateless self-governance model of the Autonomous Administrations of North and East Syria (AANES), as well as the Kurdish freedom movement more broadly, which initiated the revolution.
Democracy here is not the same as the representative democracy model found in Western countries such as the UK, Germany and France, where one person speaks on behalf of a large number of people whose interest they do not necessarily share. This is a more radical form of democracy, which aims to build up the entire society, giving everyone the chance to participate in making decisions on issues which affect their lives.
The most basic democratic unit is the commune, or neighbourhood assembly, which meets regularly and discusses issues affecting the community. There will be a number of committees in each commune which function like working groups to focus on particular issues, such as security, agriculture or conflict resolution. There is also an autonomous women’s council in every democratic structure in the AANES. Co-chairs of different genders (and usually different ethnic or religious backgrounds) are chosen to represent the neighbourhood at the district level assembly, and from there to the city-wide assembly, and so on.
Below you can find articles with more information on the evolving democratic system of the AANES and how people are taking control of their lives and learning to work together as part of a stateless system of self-governance in North and East Syria, and southeastern Turkey.
Work resumes in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah people’s councils
Co-chair Emîne Beyram said that municipal services in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah have resumed after the removal of checkpoints under Article 5 of the agreement.
Mother tongue education continues in spite of attacks
Zehida Rashid stated that in spite of the attacks by mercenaries affiliated with the Turkish state, they continue to provide mother tongue education in local neighborhoods.
Kurdish Women’s Unity Platform established
Representatives of 21 women's organizations and political parties in Kurdistan came together and formed the Kurdish Women's Unity Platform.
The principles of the women’s democratic confederal system: theory and practice
Women’s revolution starts with transforming ourselves as individuals and leads to a complete overhaul of society. It’s about building your own identity, challenging men to reshape what it means to be a man, transforming both women and men to create free relationships, and fostering those relationships to build a freer society. It’s a massive, tough, but deeply historic and valuable struggle.
The meaning, future and outcomes of the historic Kurdish Unity Conference in Rojava
The conference held in Qamishlo stands as a serious and organized response to a century of loneliness, denial, and fragmentation imposed on a people. The final document of the Kurdish Unity Conference in Rojava calls for the unification of Kurdish regions under a federal Syrian umbrella as an integrated political and administrative unit.
Explainer: Kurdish Dialogue Conference in Rojava – Strengthening Kurdish Unity and Unifying Positions
The 26th of April, was set as the official date for the convening of the “Kurdish National Conference” in North and East Syria. This comes after a postponement due to the current war situation in the region and disagreements among parties regarding the conference. The aim of the conference is to establish a unified political reference for the Kurds in Syria, contribute to a just solution for the Kurdish issue within the future of Syria, and guarantee the rights of the Kurdish people through a document agreed upon by the participants. This marks the first time that Syrian Kurdish parties will convene on a common position regarding the Kurdish issue in Syria in over a decade.
Armenian women fight for a democratic Syria
The Armenian Women's Union fights for the active participation of women in all areas of life. Anahit Kasabiyan said that the Armenian community living in Northern and Eastern Syria will establish a political party led by women.
The First National Conference for the Unity of Kurdish Women in Rojava
“With this conference, we are laying the foundation for a new history—the history of the unity of the Kurdish people, led by the vanguard of Kurdish women. Just as women in Rojava have been at the forefront in all fields, they are also leading the way in building a democratic Syria.” — Perwîn Yûsif (PYD)
Sara Organization, a place to fight violence against women
The Sara Organization for the Fight Against Violence Against Women has reported 388 incidents of violence, human rights violations and crimes against women in the last 10 months in Northern and Eastern Syria.
IWD2025: The residents of Jinwar women’s village are standing strong
For International Women's Day 2025, we take an in-depth look into life inside Jinwar women's village in Rojava’s Cizîrê Canton, in northeast Syria. Kurdish News platform Mezopotamya Agency recently carried out an important interview with village residents about life and collective resistance at Jinwar.
The Status of women in North and East Syria
Kurdish, Arab, Syriac, Assyrian, Armenian, and Turkmen women have achieved numerous legal, political, military, cultural, and social accomplishments in North and East Syria during the July 19 Revolution (Women's Revolution). Preparations are currently underway to draft a special social contract for women.
