NEWS CENTER- On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, November 25, YJP Spokesperson Nesrin Abdullah commented on the self-defense and women's power that reveal in Rojava and Raqqa and she said, “The women must first realize their own power by organizing otherwise the defense will have no meaning.”

 

Self-defense is a survival method that includes the whole of the defense techniques formed by women to protect themselves since the 6th century, and it varies according to the countries and the dimension of violence. Self-defense initiated in Turkey following the purple needle campaigns in Turkey varies in the world in different period. We see the self-defense as an art of fighting called “Wing Chun” that invented by a nun Ng Mui in China in the 17th century, whist the Gulabi Gang or Pink Gang founded in the Northern India by Sampat Pal Devi is strengthening its organization in order to prevent rape in the region.

 

Women are empowering their self-defense against male-violence in the world and the women in the Middle East keep their struggle against male-state violence by forming their own armed units. The struggle started by the Women's Defense Units (Yekîneyên Parastina Jin-YPJ) in Rojava against Daesh causes the women in the world to turn their face to the Middle East regarding the self-defense.

 

PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan's words saying, “Even a rose has thorns and self-defense to protect itself” actually reveals once again how the right of self-defense is an incontestable right. We don’t need to make many sentences to explain how self-defense is a vital necessity. YPJ Spokesperson Nesrin Abdullah commented on the role of the YPJ against femicide and violence against women.

 

‘Organization for defense is an essential condition’

 

Nesrin said, “A person must first know herself/himself and have a defense strategy in order to defense herself/himself. Defense is not just about the body, it is physical and psychological. If a person just defends herself/himself physically, the deficiencies in spirit will arise in defense again. For this reason, the colonial powers are in constant political, military and social attack in order to create their own personalities. The person has to organize himself/herself in order to be able to defend himself/herself. Therefore, women must first realize their own power by organizing otherwise the defense will have no meaning.”

 

‘We are an organized and ideological power’

 

Nesrin also commented on the war in Raqqa and she underlined that the war in Rakka was launched on the basis of self-defense. Stressing that they are an organized and ideological power, Nesrin attributed their success in the Rojava revolution to this. Nesrin said, “As YPJ, we have established many academies. We said that the women can take their revenge for the enslaved and murdered women in Raqqa. We both liberated Rakka and taught the people how they can defend themselves. No one defended the women when they were under attack. If there wasn’t a women’s army, this success could not be achieved today. Just liberating the region is not a substantial solution, it is important that we establish an equal life for men and women. This is the solution.”

 

‘Women should keep their struggle’

 

Lastly, Nesrin said, “Women should keep their struggle. Our struggle led to the liberation of thousands of women and the liberation of our land. As YPJ, we defend the rights of all women.”