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You& #39;ve likely seen these iconic images of women celebrating the liberation of #Manbij, four years ago today.
What you may not know is how women in the diverse city have become leaders in their communities since then— in ways that would have been unimaginable under ISIS.
What you may not know is how women in the diverse city have become leaders in their communities since then— in ways that would have been unimaginable under ISIS.
Women began to join the Manbij Military Council, established in early 2016, during the operation to liberate the city.
Commander Xaliya Nîmet said about 150 women had joined the MMC by the end of the operation.
https://en.hawarnews.org/150-women-from-minbic-join-military-council-of-minbic-to-fight-isis/">https://en.hawarnews.org/150-women...
Commander Xaliya Nîmet said about 150 women had joined the MMC by the end of the operation.
https://en.hawarnews.org/150-women-from-minbic-join-military-council-of-minbic-to-fight-isis/">https://en.hawarnews.org/150-women...
In February 2017, the first women& #39;s military academy there, the Martyr Roxan Academy, was established. 30 fighters, mostly young Arab women, joined its first training course.
https://www.hawarnews.org/archives/186886
Here& #39;s">https://www.hawarnews.org/archives/... a video of a typical day there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwxBgj838As">https://www.youtube.com/watch...
https://www.hawarnews.org/archives/186886
Here& #39;s">https://www.hawarnews.org/archives/... a video of a typical day there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwxBgj838As">https://www.youtube.com/watch...
Many of the women who joined the Manbij Military Council had suffered greatly under ISIS.
Here are a few of their stories:
http://manbijmc.org/archives/6773
https://manbijmc.org/archives/... href=" http://manbijmc.org/archives/4767 ">https://manbijmc.org/archives/...
Here are a few of their stories:
http://manbijmc.org/archives/6773
https://manbijmc.org/archives/..." title="Many of the women who joined the Manbij Military Council had suffered greatly under ISIS. Here are a few of their stories: https://manbijmc.org/archives/... href=" http://manbijmc.org/archives/4767 ">https://manbijmc.org/archives/...">
https://manbijmc.org/archives/..." title="Many of the women who joined the Manbij Military Council had suffered greatly under ISIS. Here are a few of their stories: https://manbijmc.org/archives/... href=" http://manbijmc.org/archives/4767 ">https://manbijmc.org/archives/...">
Civil society organizing took place alongside the creation of military institutions.
Yekitiya Star was first active in Manbij as far back as 2013, opening a Women& #39;s Knowledge and Education Center in March of that year. ISIS destroyed all of this. https://anfkurdi.com/jin/jinen-rojava-xebaten-xwe-berfireh-dikin-13574">https://anfkurdi.com/jin/jinen...
Yekitiya Star was first active in Manbij as far back as 2013, opening a Women& #39;s Knowledge and Education Center in March of that year. ISIS destroyed all of this. https://anfkurdi.com/jin/jinen-rojava-xebaten-xwe-berfireh-dikin-13574">https://anfkurdi.com/jin/jinen...
The first women& #39;s institution to open in the city after its 2016 liberation was a mala jin, or women& #39;s house.
These institutions protect survivors of gender-based violence and resolve domestic disputes before they get to that point. https://www.hawarnews.org/archives/166131 ">https://www.hawarnews.org/archives/...
These institutions protect survivors of gender-based violence and resolve domestic disputes before they get to that point. https://www.hawarnews.org/archives/166131 ">https://www.hawarnews.org/archives/...
As of 2019, women& #39;s houses in Manbij had resolved thousands of cases, with only a few hundred cases escalated to the legal system.
https://ar.kongra-star.org/2019/09/02/4365/
Here& #39;s">https://ar.kongra-star.org/2019/09/0... an account of one house working with a family to stop a forced marriage in early 2017: https://www.hawarnews.org/archives/179385 ">https://www.hawarnews.org/archives/...
https://ar.kongra-star.org/2019/09/02/4365/
Here& #39;s">https://ar.kongra-star.org/2019/09/0... an account of one house working with a family to stop a forced marriage in early 2017: https://www.hawarnews.org/archives/179385 ">https://www.hawarnews.org/archives/...
The region-wide Women& #39;s Council in Manbij was established in March 2017.
https://www.hawarnews.org/archives/194253 ">https://www.hawarnews.org/archives/...
https://www.hawarnews.org/archives/194253 ">https://www.hawarnews.org/archives/...
The council is active to this day, working on a wide variety of issues affecting women.
Some of their recent activities include condemnations of increased domestic violence rates under COVID-19 lockdowns and free literacy courses.
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=3042260252463118&id=2035214323167721
https://www.facebook.com/permalink... href=" https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2908459245843220&id=2035214323167721">https://www.facebook.com/permalink...
Some of their recent activities include condemnations of increased domestic violence rates under COVID-19 lockdowns and free literacy courses.
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=3042260252463118&id=2035214323167721
https://www.facebook.com/permalink..." title="The council is active to this day, working on a wide variety of issues affecting women.Some of their recent activities include condemnations of increased domestic violence rates under COVID-19 lockdowns and free literacy courses. https://www.facebook.com/permalink... href=" https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2908459245843220&id=2035214323167721">https://www.facebook.com/permalink...">
https://www.facebook.com/permalink..." title="The council is active to this day, working on a wide variety of issues affecting women.Some of their recent activities include condemnations of increased domestic violence rates under COVID-19 lockdowns and free literacy courses. https://www.facebook.com/permalink... href=" https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2908459245843220&id=2035214323167721">https://www.facebook.com/permalink...">
Later in 2017, a Women& #39;s Economy Center was opened in Manbij. https://en.hawarnews.org/womens-economy-centre-opens-in-manbij/">https://en.hawarnews.org/womens-ec...
The first women& #39;s cooperative in the area was established in September 2017, with support from the People& #39;s Municipality and the Economy Committee.
10 women worked there, growing and preparing vegetables and other food products.
https://hawarnews.org/ku/yekemin-koperatifa-jinen-minbice-dest-bi-xebate-kir/
https://hawarnews.org/ku/yekemi... href=" https://hawarnews.org/ku/koperatifa-beyt-el-bereke-li-minbice-amadekariya-zimhera-zivistane-dike/">https://hawarnews.org/ku/kopera...
10 women worked there, growing and preparing vegetables and other food products.
https://hawarnews.org/ku/yekemin-koperatifa-jinen-minbice-dest-bi-xebate-kir/
The first Jineoloji Center in Manbij was opened there in 2018.
Leaders of the Military Council, including its male commanders, attended the opening ceremony.
http://manbijmc.org/archives/2227
https://manbijmc.org/archives/... href=" https://hawarnews.org/ku/navenda-lekolinen-jineoloji-li-minbice-vebu/">https://hawarnews.org/ku/navend...
Leaders of the Military Council, including its male commanders, attended the opening ceremony.
http://manbijmc.org/archives/2227
https://hawarnews.org/ku/navend..." title="The first Jineoloji Center in Manbij was opened there in 2018. Leaders of the Military Council, including its male commanders, attended the opening ceremony. https://manbijmc.org/archives/... href=" https://hawarnews.org/ku/navenda-lekolinen-jineoloji-li-minbice-vebu/">https://hawarnews.org/ku/navend..." class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
Despite all these advances, conservative local customs mean that some of the landmark legislation passed by the AANES to protect women& #39;s rights isn& #39;t fully applied in Manbij.
The Young Women& #39;s Union there, however, has demanded stronger legal protections.
https://ar.kongra-star.org/2020/01/05/6448/">https://ar.kongra-star.org/2020/01/0...
The Young Women& #39;s Union there, however, has demanded stronger legal protections.
https://ar.kongra-star.org/2020/01/05/6448/">https://ar.kongra-star.org/2020/01/0...
As of 2019, 3 women from Manbij served on the Executive Council of the entire AANES:
- Alaa Ahmed, Co-Chair of the Health and Environment Commission
- Maha Ali, Women& #39;s Commission deputy
- Amel Dada, Co-Chair of the External Relations Office
https://rojavainformationcenter.com/storage/2019/12/2019-Executive-Council-Member-Survey-Autonomous-Administration.pdf">https://rojavainformationcenter.com/storage/2...
- Alaa Ahmed, Co-Chair of the Health and Environment Commission
- Maha Ali, Women& #39;s Commission deputy
- Amel Dada, Co-Chair of the External Relations Office
https://rojavainformationcenter.com/storage/2019/12/2019-Executive-Council-Member-Survey-Autonomous-Administration.pdf">https://rojavainformationcenter.com/storage/2...
Here are two interviews with Amel Dada from before she served in the AANES Executive Council. She is a member of the Turkmen community in Manbij, and lived there under the regime, the FSA, and ISIS before its liberation.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/features/emel-dede-we-put-manbij-back-on-its-feet-27982
https://anfenglishmobile.com/features/... href=" https://anfenglishmobile.com/features/manbij-political-council-member-we-re-already-free-don-t-need-turkey-18889">https://anfenglishmobile.com/features/...
https://anfenglishmobile.com/features/emel-dede-we-put-manbij-back-on-its-feet-27982
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This is just a short overview of what the revolutionary social policies of the AANES have done over time in a multi-ethnic city that suffered greatly under ISIS rule. There was no "foreign" or "imposed" ideology— this is what real liberation and rebuilding a society looks like.
