Syriac women celebrate their heroic successes in resisting limited stereotypical mentality

BETH NAHRIN — The Syriac (Aramean-Chaldean- Assyrian) women, like other women of the world, suffered from domination of the patriarchal mindset throughout history.

However, Syriac women did not surrender, but rather made out of their grief and injustice a path to gain their freedom and rights.

The Syriac women freedom path was paved by atrocities, especially during the genocides that affected the Syriac people.

Believing in their abilities, Syriac women were able to break the chains and organize themselves into unions and political entities, through which they performed their role in political, social and economic aspects of life.

The Syriac Women’s Union (SWU), which was founded in 2013 to illuminate the path of struggle of Syriac women, worked to empower Syriac women to reach important positions within the Democratic Autonomous Administration in the Region of North and East Syria.

With the increasing threat of terrorism in North and East Syria, the Beth Nahrin Women’s Protection Force (Ḥaylawotho d’Sutoro d’Neshe d’Beth Nahrin, HSNB) was established in August, 2015.

The HSNB offered sacrifices to defend the land of Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia) and preserve the gains for which they fought for decades.

Furthermore, the Syriac women were also involved in the Syriac Security Forces (Sutoro Women), which was founded at the end of 2015, to preserve the gains and protect women in society.

The Syriac women struggle was not limited to Syria only, but also extended to Iraq through women participation in confronting the Islamic State (ISIS), defending their land, participating in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of regions occupied by ISIS, as well as society development in terms of education and cultural activities.

The Syriac women suffered from discrimination and persecution in Turkey, after they were banned from speaking and spreading their Syriac language and culture.

Despite all the challenges, Syriac women did not give up, but continued their struggle to gain their rights.

What the Syriac women reached today in their historical homeland of Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia) is a continuation of the prestigious position they enjoyed in ancient eras, when they participated in various aspects of life, including trade and Politics to religion and culture, such as Queen Shamiram, who was famous for her intelligence and fair judgment, as well as Queen Zenobia, who led a great army against the Roman Empire.

Women of the Syriac (Aramean-Chaldean-Assyrian) people celebrate International Women’s Day, amid their heroic successes in resisting the stereotypical mentality that frames them in rigid images with limited freedom.