RONÎDA HACÎ

Hasakah- Male-state violence against women continues to be devastating due to the policies of states that deepen and maintain inequality between men and women. Women in war and conflict zones are subjected to all forms of violence more.

The Sara Organization to Combat Violence against Women has been holding awareness-raising activities in Hasakah Canton to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. NuJINHA spoke to Helîma Mihemed, a member of the organization, about their activities.

‘The system of male-state must be changed’

Speaking about the pre-revolutionary period in North and East Syria, she said, “The Syrian regime normalized femicide and implemented the policy of immunity for the perpetrators. These policies led to an increase in femicide cases. We can say that the regime itself killed women. To end femicide, the system of male-state must be first changed.”

‘A society can be free when women are free’

Helîma Mihemed thinks that a society, in which women are killed, will definitely collapse and disintegrate. “A society can be free when women are free. A society having free women is a society having history and identity. Women are the strongest pillars of our society,” she said.

Helîma Mihemed reported that five women were killed and four more women were driven to suicide in Hesekê Canton in 2023. “As the Sara Organization to Combat Violence against Women, we combat gender-based violence and organize awareness-raising activities to change the patriarchal mindset in society.”

‘Women were seen as a threat’

Recalling that more than 10 women were attacked during the Rojava Revolution, she said, “The Rojava Revolution is a women’s revolution. The patriarchal system saw the women leading this revolution as a threat because the new system based on gender-equality and democracy is against the patriarchal system.

‘We have held 122 seminars until now’

Helîma Mihemed also talked about their activities in Hasakah Canton. “We have distributed 2,000 leaflets and held 36 meetings. We have paid 531 visits to martyrs' families and organizations. We have held 122 seminars with the participation of 1,692 people. We have solved 92 cases, including four femicide, five suicides, and two suicide attempts. We have held five press conferences to raise awareness about violence against women. We will make more efforts to eliminate violence and build a free society.”

The Sara Organization also provides awareness-raising courses to both women and men. “We attach importance to awareness-raising courses to eliminate gender-based violence. We have also launched a campaign to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.”