Our thoughts are with the women in Syria
Published on 8. March 2018
from CADUS-PR
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To the Inmates of Assads prisons
The “International Conscience Convoy”, a wandering demonstration of 2000 women from 55 countries started in Istanbul and has reached its destination, Hatay at the Turkish- syrian border today. The Convoy aims to raise awareness for the violation of human rights against Syrian women – the main victims of the longstanding conflict. How many women are currently imprisoned in Syria? No one can tell exactly. The organizers of the Convoy estimate that there are about 6700 female inmates – over 400 of them girls. Assads regime denies that there’s regular torture and rape. UN reports tell us differently: about inhuman detention conditions, systematic torture and sexual violence.
To the women in Refugee Camps
At the end of February, a UNFPA report was published in which was stated that women in south-syrian camps were sexually exploited by humanitarian workers in return for aid. Sex in exchange for food or soap – that’s as repugnant as it gets. “Aid workers told the BBC that the exploitation is so widespread that some Syrian women are refusing to go to distribution centres because people would assume they had offered their bodies for the aid they brought home.” (source: BBC)
Single girls and women in UN Refugee Camps in a war-torn country – This exploitation of the weakest of the weak is inexcusable in our opinion. The matter has been ignored for far too long. And it’ll take a long time to resolve the situation. Read more in the following pdf: „Whole of Syria – Gender-Based Violence Area of Responsibility.
To the free women of Rojava
In Kurdish-controlled Northern Syria, women and men have equal rights (see f.e. nytimes article from 24.2.2018). Most government boards and committees have a 50% women’s quota. Women are allowed to get a divorce and to keep the children and the house after a separation. They are allowed to inherit property.
We want peace and a free and self-determined life for all women of Syria!
Sozdar, translator on a women's house with a flag from the Foundation of the free Women of Rojava (WJAR), 2015. Copyright: Christoph Löffler
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