The Kurdish Women's Movement in Europe (TJK-E) held its 7th congress where the current political situation and further work were discussed. The women's associations organised in the TJK-E were represented by about one hundred delegates from seven countries. The congress took place from 30 June to 3 July under the motto "With ‘Jin Jiyan Azadî’ (Woman, Life, Freedom) to the women's revolution" and was dedicated to the Kurdish revolutionary Evîn Goyî, who was murdered in Paris on 23 December 2022.

Öcalan and the Kurdish movement are the focus of massive attacks

A final declaration of the 7th Congress of the TJK-E published highlights central issues of the Kurdish women's movement. It was highlighted at the congress that Kurdish women would not accept the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan, which was defined as an indicator of the genocidal policy against the Kurdish people.

It was stressed that Öcalan and the Kurdish movement were the focus of massive attacks because they presented an alternative to capitalist modernity with their resistance and, as free Kurds and free women, offered an answer to the question "How to live? This paradigm gives hope for revolutionary change and freedom to the whole world, stressed the final declaration of the congress, where a decision was made to keep the struggle for the freedom of Öcalan as a priority issue. Calling for the struggle to become more radical as a whole, the congress made a concrete plan to carry Abdullah Öcalan's philosophy of freedom to the whole society, to create awareness and to organise women, the final statement said.

Resistance against AKP/MHP fascism

Another main topic was the resistance against the AKP/MHP regime in Turkey, said the final declaration: "In the past year, the fascist AKP/MHP system has systematically continued its attacks against Kurdish women and the Kurdish people, trampling all kinds of law and human rights. The most comprehensive attacks on the Medya Defence Zones have been carried out so far. The AKP/MHP regime uses all kinds of banned and chemical weapons and carries out these attacks with the aim of genocide. In order to prevent the aims of these occupiers and genocides and to secure the freedom of our people, the Freedom Guerrilla has put up the most glorious resistance in history. It has fought sacrificially and thwarted the aims of AKP/MHP fascism. Our Congress has made it its duty to follow in the footsteps of all the heroes who gave their lives in this resistance. This resistance has brought down the AKP/MHP fascist regime, shaped the political development, kept alive the aspirations of women and peoples for freedom and democracy, raised hopes and laid all conceivable foundations for the further development of the struggle."

The attacks of the AKP/MHP regime against women also continued during the year, the TJK-E declaration said: “Especially with targeted attacks on pioneers of the women's movement, attempts were made to stop the emerging women's struggle, to break the will of women and to smash organised structures. However, the determined attitude of the women did not allow this.”

Women's Revolution

After half a century of struggle as the Kurdish women's movement, social change is only possible with the claim of a women's revolution, the TJK-E stated, pointing to fundamental principles that should not be neglected in the process: love of country, self-empowerment based on one's own strength, organisedness, perseverance in struggle, ethics and aesthetics. “The campaign for a women's revolution should therefore begin at the grassroots level of society and be carried out in all areas in which the women's movement is organised, with the connections that have been built up worldwide, with all available means, persistently, resolutely and effectively.”

At the congress, there was intensive discussion about the extent to which the women's movement has lived up to its claim and how it has worked out in practice. There were criticisms and suggestions regarding the methodology and the existing mental and practical problems resulting from the subtle and direct attacks of the patriarchal system on women.

"The institutions of the powers in capitalist modernity have become instruments of war. They are carrying out very comprehensive and multidimensional attacks on movements and social groups that they perceive as a threat to their own interests. The struggles of peoples and women in different places of this world have weakened the civilisation based on state and class society as never before. The struggles fought and the price paid for them are bringing women and peoples closer to freedom in the 21st century. Women's resistance is becoming more visible around the world. Most recently, the women-led 'Jin Jiyan Azadî' uprising in Rojhilat [Eastern Kurdistan] and Iran has shown that women are the driving force for change," TJK-E said.

Focus on education

The Kurdish women's movement in Europe places a focus on education work for the coming period: "The women's revolution requires a radical mental change. Without mental enlightenment, the revolution cannot be successful. For us, educational work also means defining ourselves and deciding how we want to live. Only then can we find ways and methods to overcome power-obsessed, sexist and hierarchical mental and cultural structures. Our fundamental goal is a radical struggle against patriarchal thinking."