East Kurdistan Women’s Defense Forces (HPJ) Command released a statement marking March 8, International Women’s Day.

“We enhance the struggle for women’s freedom and an honorable life for humanity in this fragile and determining process. We as East Kurdistan’s defense forces, wish a happy March 8 to the women in Iran and East Kurdistan, and all women around the world,” said the HPJ.

HPJ remarked that women’s struggle for existence has been continuing for many years and denounced the “sexist and fascist” policies of the Iranian state.

Pointing to the misogynist policies, and the brutal acts of stoning to death, execution and arrest that target women in Iran, HPJ stressed that they are fighting against this cruel regime.

HPJ underlined that women from all colours and nations will join hands and keep their fight going until they achieve freedom in the line of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan. “We should all come together on an ideological, philosophical and spiritual basis, build a pluralist organization and live as ourselves.”

HPJ called on women in East Kurdistan and Iran to manifest their stance in all fields, to protect themselves from femicide and to join the campaign launched by KJAR against femicide and ecocide.