The Kurdish Women’s Unity Platform held its 3rd conference in Amed (Diyarbakır) under the slogan “With the unity of Kurdish women, towards national unity.” The event took place at the Amed Chamber of Commerce and Industry and brought together dozens of women from various cities across Kurdistan and Turkey. During the conference, participants addressed recent political developments and current challenges, with a particular focus on the role of women in the reconstruction process. They stressed that unity among Kurdish women is essential and called for women to take part in this process with their words, ideas, and presence on the ground.

Banu Ay, a member of the Amed provincial board of the Human and Freedom Party (PÎA), shared significant remarks on the peace process in Kurdistan, the societal role of women, and the preservation of cultural heritage. Emphasizing that women will play a decisive role in peace and social transformation, she said, “In this process, we do not want to be a mere drop, we want to be an ocean.”

Women are at the forefront of this struggle

Banu Ay provided insights into the work of the Kurdish Women’s Unity Platform and emphasized the need for women to become more visible in both cultural and political spheres. She pointed out that Kurdish women have endured deep suffering throughout history, and that this pain has made them more resilient and more conscious.

She underlined that the grief of losing children has especially strengthened women’s commitment to peace and insisted that peace must be built under the leadership of women: “For centuries, women have paid a heavy price. We want to put an end to this pain and to these tears. Women’s contribution to the peace process must not be symbolic, it must be constructive and guiding. Preserving Kurdish culture, language, and traditions must be part of this process. The right to education in one's mother tongue is a fundamental demand, and women must be at the forefront of this struggle.”

We must act side by side for Kurdistan

Banu Ay emphasized that women from different political backgrounds can unite around the common cause of Kurdistan. She said, “We may have political differences. But when it comes to the unity of Kurdistan, we must reach a consensus and act together. We need to adopt a constructive and unifying stance. We are doing everything we can. In peace, we do not want to be mere bystanders, we want to be real subjects. As women, we must stand at the forefront wherever transformation takes place.”

Esra Kahraman, a member of the Women’s Time Association, drew attention to the role of Kurdish women in the peace process and the struggle against the invisible war imposed on women across the Middle East. She stated that Kurdish women hold a leading position in efforts for both national unity and lasting peace.

Esra Kahraman highlighted the significance of the conference and said, “There is an unnamed war taking place in the Middle East, and the ones most affected by it are women. That is why, as women, we are not only demanding peace, we are actively taking part in building it.”

Kurdish women are the pioneers of peace

Esra Kahraman stated that the conference series would continue simultaneously across the four parts of Kurdistan, and that the ultimate goal was to establish a platform that would strengthen women's struggle for regional peace through a final joint conference. She added that this platform would not only focus on peacebuilding efforts but also lead the fight against violence and cultural destruction.

Kahraman continued: “Building peace does not simply mean silencing weapons. Fighting against violence, cultural destruction, and inequality is also an essential part of the peace struggle. For this reason, women’s participation in the process is not only a moral responsibility but also a political necessity. Kurdish women are not merely supporters of peace, they are its pioneers.”

Raising their demands for peace and equality against the ongoing war and conflict in the Middle East, Kurdish women declared once again through this conference that they will lead the way in social transformation.

Members of the Democratic Islam Congress (DIK), Diba Keskin and Dilan Aydın, also spoke at the conference, emphasizing that women are the carriers of peace and the true subjects of a solution.

Kurdish women have been in struggle for decades

Diba Keskin emphasized the importance of women’s struggle, pointing to the ongoing transformation in the Middle East and how it is being shaped by a male-dominated war order. “There is a significant transformation happening in the Middle East. For the past nine days, a major war has been waged at the hands of men. In the construction of a new life, the Kurdish people and especially women, must take part with their ideas and experiences. Today’s gathering is a part of this process. Kurdish women have been engaged in a struggle for forty years. Today, this struggle has reached a powerful point. Kurdish women have substantial experience, a strong voice, and the power to offer solutions. We are here with our ideas, our slogans, and our proposals because women have borne the heaviest burden of war on these lands,” she said.

Diba Keskin stated that women want peace to bring an end to the suffering, emphasizing that they are not merely demanding peace but actively building it as key agents in the process.

Another speaker, Dilan Aydın, also emphasized the importance of the conference, explaining that they do not see this gathering merely as a space for discussion, but as a platform for generating practical solutions for the future. She said, “Life itself is already a space of intense struggle, and within that intensity, we are now face to face with war. Today, in the midst of this war, we are discussing peace, the future, and the role of women.”

We aim to produce concrete solutions

Dilan Aydın highlighted the participation of women from many cities in the conference and described it as a source of hope.

She said: “Here, we are not only speaking for ourselves, but also addressing the problems faced by millions of women. We are tackling issues such as special war policies, violence, and inequality. Through this conference, we aim to move forward and develop concrete and applicable solutions on the ground. With this gathering, women are not merely identifying problems, they are coming together to create solutions and expressing their will to take part in the peace process on the basis of collective wisdom and unity.”