A Degendered Progress During Wartime: The Case Of Women’s Rights In Kurdish-Controlled Northern Syria

On February 24th, 2018, a foreign New York Times correspondent, Rob Nordland, wrote an article titled ‘Women Are Free, and Armed, in Kurdish-Controlled Northern Syria,’ where he talks about a 30-year-old Arab, Radwan, who was trying to take back the gold he gave to his 17-year-old second ex-wife, Amira, as a bride price. Women’s House officials escorted the yelling man out and emphasized that Amira was entitled to the right to reject him and be compensated for the divorce. The conversation took place in Women’s House in Manbij, in northern Syria, a product of an increasing public awareness of gender equality. It has helped many females who suffered from domestic abuse, divorce, limited political participation and unprotected legal rights.

“The patriarchy really is over,” said Shilan Shermooz, the administrator of the Women’s House, emphasizing that even after Radwan made the reparations, he would still receive legal sanction and punishment due to his domestic abuse and fraudulent marital status when he married Amira. “It is about time,” added Hana Sharif, a Kurdish council member, “that we have all of our rights.”

Behind the efforts of women’s increasing inclusion in political and legal participation, as well as domestic status, is the gender egalitarian philosophy of the Kurdish ideological leader, Abdullah Öcalan, whose push for gender equality has granted females much more notable power now than before in the Kurdish-controlled areas of northern Syria. Women are now entitled ‘‘to divorce, to inherit property on an equal basis with men; and to keep their children and their homes in a marital breakup,’’ according to Times. Many females were also coached by the Women’s House on how to raise awareness of their new freedoms.

Opponents argued that the women’s rights defenders were like ISIS, who imposed codes and teachings that contradicted their cultural norms and conservative views. There were complaints on situations when unqualified females were hired. The view was typically stereotypical among the masculine society, where traditional gender norms were interpreted as a standard to guide and limit people’s behaviour, which is a major obstacle for females to overcome.

Cultural norms are evidence of gendering, playing a significant role in pushing gender equality off the agenda of societal development. The efforts in Kurdish-controlled northern Syria was essential to convey the idea of the multiplicity of femininities, although more needs to be done to educate both men and women of their inherent equal status as human beings that are all entitled to freedoms and personal choices.

Gender equality, or any other human rights, are hard to protect and maintain during wartime. Efforts should also be made in the progress of peacebuilding in Syria, providing the possibility for a long-lasting gender equality and degendered social order. Ongoing conflict is also a key obstacle to a sustainable protection of human rights, but only a peaceful, orderly society is capable of providing a stable and secure environment for women where they could safely get involved in communities and societies as well as increase representation in political and legal fields.

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