YPJ General Command has issued a written statement for November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The YPJ statement pointed out the level the women’s struggle has reached in Rojava and Northern Syria and said, “This level has been achieved through constant struggle, resistance, a heavy price, a lot of labor, courage, will and faith.”

The statement published on the official YPG website is as follows:

“With the November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we respectfully salute all women who fought, in the person of Partia, Maria and Minerva Mirabel sisters and all women who refused to bow down to the dominant system and resisted to achieve women’s rights and we promise to increase the struggle for women’s and humanity’s freedom.

The patriarchal system has given no rights or space to live for women throughout the world. It has used any and all methods of cunning for the patriarchy’s dominion over society and women, and has sacrificed women in every societal crisis. Women have had a leading role in society throughout history, while they are forced to live under undesirable circumstances today. The keys to women’s will, mind, culture, self and body have been stolen from them. The patriarchy has spread through all areas of life like a plague. Femicide has become ordinary, dozens of women are murdered every day under the pretense of ‘honor’. This system has manifested concretely in the shape of ISIS gangs most recently. Many movements and individuals that emerged by late 20th century and early 21st century have pushed women’s struggle to a certain level. Embracing the Mirabel sisters’ struggle from the 1930’s to 1961 and increasing the struggle is a duty for all women.

From society’s organization to its philosophical and ideological depth, from forming self defense forces to the Northern Syria-Rojava Revolution, women’s struggle has reached the utmost level today through Kurdish women. This level has undoubtedly been achieved through constant struggle, resistance, a heavy price, a lot of labor, courage, will and faith. The struggle waged by the Kurdish women today has resounded throughout the world and has inspired women globally. The women of Rojava, from Arab, Syriac, Turkmen and many other identities, have created a unity in spirit and ideology for women. This level has been reached through the struggle and great labor of the Mirabel sisters, of Rosa, Clara, Sara, Şervin, Arin, Delal and Azê.

As the YPJ, the Women’s Defense Units, we have the faith to increase this struggle. We will fulfill our duty of defending all women, and we will defend women’s history that is filled with great labors. We have the will to continue to fight until every woman has the intent and freedom for self defense. On this basis, we are calling on all women to turn every day into a day of struggle, and not be confined to November 25.

We respectfully salute in the person of the Mirabel sisters all fighting women who have fallen martyr in the women’s freedom struggle, and we repeat our promise to fight for the struggle of women and the whole of humanity.”