Syriac Women’s Union holds march in Hasakah ahead of upcoming International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

HASAKAH, North and East Syria – Ahead of the upcoming International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, annually on November 25, the Syriac Women’s Union (SWU) held a march in Hakasah city. The Syriac women marched from the Beth Nahrin Academy for Women to the 1915 Sayfo Genocide Monument, shouting slogans as No to violence and oppression against women”. At the Sayfo Monument, officials of the Syriac Women’s Union read out public statements in classical Suryoyo (Syriac) and Arabic.

The Syriac Women’s Union statement recalled the names of the courageous women who sacrificed their lives to eliminate the patriarchal mentality and achieve women’s freedom. The statement made clear that the reason for observing a special international day against women’s violence is to guarantee women’s basic rights and free them from discrimination, hatred and inequality. And, that violence against women is not only a women’s issue, but rather a global challenge to human rights; “Violence against women requires international solutions in order that perpetrators do not go unpunished.”

Statistics show that women are more often the victims of physical and psychological violence. “Nearly 1 in 3 women have been abused in their lifetime. In times of crises, the numbers rise…” the United Nation say. The SWU statement read that the Syrian woman has had to endure violence, rape, murder, torture, arrest and enforced disappearance since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, including the crimes committed by the occupying Turkish forces and proxy militias, whose crimes amount to war crimes amid international silence. The statement called on all Syrian women to build a free and democratic Syria for a safe and secure life.

Several members of the Syriac Women Union hold prominent positions in the various administrative institutions of the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA) of North and East Syria. Siham Quryo is co-chair of the DAA’s General Council. Abeer Elia is deputy co-chair of the DAA’s Foreign Relations Office, and Nazira Goreya is co-chair of the Executive Council of Gozarto (Jazira) Region.

The Syriac Women’s Union (Huyodo d-Neşe d’Bethnahrin) is an affiliate, although operating fully independently, of the Beth Nahrin National Council (Mawtbo Umthoyo d-Bethnahrin, also called dawronoye movement). Beth Nahrin National Council affiliates are co-founders of the Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria.