Final Statement of ‘Mothers for Peace Delegation’

Mothers for Peace Delegation, made up of women from Germany, Spain, France and Italy, visited Rojava (Democratic Federation of Northern Syria) with the mission of obtaining direct information on the situation of Rojava’s women, and particularly on those displaced from Afrin, with the final objective of spreading their reality in our countries of origin and creating bonds of solidarity and collaboration.

During our stay, we visited large areas of the region and listened to the most representative organizations of society. In a special way, with the support of Jineology International and Kongra Star, we visited women’s organizations, which gave us a vision of the profound change that is taking place in the society of Northern Syria in terms of women’s liberation and gender equality.

We had the opportunity to get to know social centres that try to alleviate the wounds that war has produced in this people: the Committee of Martyrs’ Families in Kobane, the communal house for wounded fighters, “Alan’s Rainbow” residence for orphans and the women’s village “Jinwar”. It is remarkable the huge work carried out by an entire society, which volunteers to help its most unprotected components, despite the scarcity imposed by the embargo to which it is subjected by its neighbours – Turkey has closed its borders and the KRG allows the passage of goods like a dropper, as does the regime of al-Assad – and the absence of international cooperation.

Mothers for Peace Delegation met and talked with displaced women from Afrin and listened to accounts of their experiences during the invasion, of fleeing their land and leaving their homes in very difficult circumstances and of the current difficulties in covering the basic needs of their families. We have been moved by their strength to overcome adversity, their solidarity and their hope to return one day to their homes.

Our Delegation has the duty to denounce the human tragedy caused by occupation of Afrin by Turkey and its Jihadist allies, and to spread the critical situation faced by tens of thousands of displaced people in Shehba camps and throughout Northern Syria. It is particularly urgent to meet children’s basic health, food and educational needs.

Considering this difficult situation, the Delegation has joined the campaign Women rise up for Afrin, launched on 8 March 2018, International Women’s Day, to denounce the invasion of the Afrin canton, which endangers the achievements made in terms of women’s liberation. Consequently:

– We denounce the indifference of Western governments and the scant coverage by the European media to this violation of human rights.

– We call on the entire international community of women and their organisations to join this campaign of solidarity support to ensure that displaced families can have access to decent living conditions.

– We want to make an appeal to all international humanitarian organizations to attend the camps of displaced people from Afrin.

– We call on these same women’s organizations to keep a process of permanent denounce of the invasion and occupation before our Parliaments and International Organizations so that all displaced people can return to their land, Afrin.

Mothers for Peace Delegation
October 2018