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.
Commune and council system in Rojava being renewed
After the decision by the Peoples’ Assembly to restructure the commune and council system, work has begun on 2,069 communes in the Canton of Cizirê.
Explainer: “Religion is the energy of liberation” – Islam in NES
Rojava Information Center interviewed figures and structures associated with Islam in North and East Syria. They included members of the Democratic Islam Congress and Delal Khelil from the Council of Religions and Beliefs, both structures which RIC previously interviewed in 2020. RIC also spoke to Sheikh Murshid Khaznawi, the son of Sufi Sheikh Maashouq Khaznawi, who was tortured and assassinated by the former Ba’ath government in 2005.
Women’s house, a center for resolving women’s issues in Raqqa
The Women’s house in Raqqa has become a trusted center that resolves family issues through dialogue.
City Women’s Assembly to be established in Muş
The municipality of Muş, won by the DEM Party, plans to establish a City Women’s Assembly to address women’s issues through women’s perspectives.
Jinwar – A women’s village full of change and hope in North and East Syria
Jinwar is home to many different women that have decided to join the community for a variety of different reasons. Something that unites all of them is their search for a free life in communality and the wish to learn, to strengthen and develop as women. Some of them have lost their husbands in the war, or others have freed themselves from domestic violence or forced marriage. There are also Yazidi women who have begun a new life here after they were liberated from the enslavement of ISIS.
Amed Ecology Council announces its establishment “to create a common ground for struggle”
The Amed Ecology Council advocates the construction of democratic, ecological, and women's libertarian social structures to overcome the crisis between society and nature.
Vîtariya Commune in Dêrik strengthens solidarity
The Vîtariya Commune built in Dêrik (Al-Malikiyah) aims to strengthen solidarity among different ethnic identities in the city.
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.
