Ronida Haji

Hasakah — In the lead-up to November 25, the Joint Activities Platform for Women’s Movements and Organizations in Northeast Syria launched a campaign against violence toward women on the 15th of this month under the slogan: “Together, We Build a Communal Democratic Society to End Violence.”

As part of the campaign activities, the STAR Conference in Hasakah, Northeast Syria, organized an intensive three-day training in the Gweiran neighborhood, attended by fifty members and administrators of civil society organizations.

The training sessions covered key topics, including family law and concepts of gender-based discrimination and violence. Ghazal Ali, a member of the Justice Committee, delivered a lecture on family law, followed by in-depth discussions on its related challenges.

“Ending Violence Requires Building a Democratic Society Based on Partnership”

Leila Hassan, a member of the STAR Conference Training Committee in Hasakah, emphasized that this course is part of a series of activities launched by the Joint Activities Platform on November 15. The sessions aim to reduce violence and strengthen the foundations for cooperative, violence-free community life, particularly in relation to the family.

Hassan highlighted the importance of adopting a preventive approach to address all forms of violence, stressing that ending violence requires building a democratic society based on gender partnership. Achieving this goal, she explained, necessitates enhancing awareness programs to raise community understanding, alongside comprehending and effectively applying family law.

She also noted that these measures provide a crucial entry point for addressing family and societal issues for both women and men, forming the basis for building a cohesive society grounded in shared life.

Hassan underlined that gender-based discrimination is the root cause of many social problems and the main driver of rising violence against women. Such discrimination deepens gender gaps and creates structural divisions within society. Violence against women is not isolated but functions as a tool for controlling the broader community, requiring a comprehensive approach that goes beyond individual interventions.

Training as a Step Toward Liberation

Lawrence Mohammed, co-chair of the Al-Nashwa neighborhood municipality, described the training as an important step toward freeing participants from authoritarian mindsets and building a participatory society. He noted that participants recognized the potential to overcome social dominance and embrace real cooperative foundations: “We see that violence against women does not only target them; it affects the entire community. Therefore, activating communes and revitalizing their educational committees is essential to ensure real change.”

Adnan Khalifa, a member of the Gweiran neighborhood municipality, explained that the roots of societal problems stem from lack of awareness and the dominance of authoritarian laws. He emphasized that family law must be applied on the basis of equality and shared life within families to protect the community from violence and collapse: “We cannot claim progress while violence against women continues, as it reflects a lack of awareness and knowledge, perpetuates a culture of domination and inequality, and requires enhanced education and awareness to break this cycle.