NEWS CENTER_On the occasion of Kurdish Women’s Journalism Day, and the anniversary of the martyrdom of journalist Gurbetelli Ersöz, which falls on the seventh of October, the Women's Media Union (YRJ) recalls the journey of Kurdish female journalists and media professionals who chose the word, the pen, and the image as a path to defend the truth, document the reality of their society, and convey the voice of women and their issues, despite the harsh conditions, challenges, and great difficulties they faced.

The Women's Media Union in Rojava issued a statement today, Tuesday, the sixth of October, on the occasion of Kurdish Women's Journalism Day and the anniversary of the martyrdom of journalist Gurbetelli Ersöz. The statement said: "This day comes as a fruit of the great struggles and sacrifices made by Kurdish women who believed that journalism is not merely a profession, but a responsibility and a message, and that conveying and documenting the truth can be a form of resistance and protecting memory."

At the forefront of these sacrifices, the statement recalls journalist Gurbetelli Ersöz, who was martyred in the Kurdistan Region on the seventh of October 1997, adding: "Gurbetelli was not just a journalist, but was a symbol of a woman who believed in the power of the word and its ability to confront. Her journey formed a model of the journalist who chose to stand on the side of truth, and to make her pen and voice a means of defending the human being and justice."

The statement also evokes the journey of the two journalists Delishan Ibesh and Dilovan Kafar, who documented the violations and crimes committed by ISIS against society and women, and contributed through their media work to conveying the truth and revealing the tragedies and violations to which civilians were subjected.

A Will That Was Not Broken Before Danger

On Kurdish Women's Journalism Day, the statement affirmed that the free word will remain a witness to the truth, whatever the challenges, celebrating "the will that was not broken before danger."

It noted that "journalism for Kurdish women is more than just a profession; it is a space for proving existence, documenting history, and conveying the voice of women to society and the world. Through the word and the image, female journalists and media professionals contributed to breaking the walls of silence, preserving memory, and conveying facts to future generations, despite the difficulties and challenges they faced."

It pointed out that preserving the memory of female journalists and women who contributed to making the history of media is a responsibility toward future generations; what is documented today becomes part of tomorrow's memory, and what is preserved of experiences and sacrifices remains evidence of women's role in the journey of journalism and media.

On this occasion, the Women's Media Union renewed the pledge to continue media work, develop women's capabilities in this field, entrench professional media that places truth and responsibility at the forefront of its message, gives women's issues the space they deserve, and contributes to documenting events and protecting collective memory.