News Center — Leader Abdullah Öcalan explained that the patriarchal system has, throughout history, entrenched slavery and oppression against women, turning their bodies and identities into tools serving capitalism. He emphasized that the relationship and struggle between men and women form the foundation for building a free and democratic society.

On November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, leader Abdullah Öcalan delivered a special message for this day. He stated that ‘society is not a class structure made of a single class, but rather a field of struggle based on gender throughout history.’ He pointed out that the first and greatest problem humanity has faced is the counterrevolution that began with the enslavement of women and targeted the woman-based social upbringing. Women were subjected to domestic violence, murder, and patriarchal oppression, and all these practices were signs of the continuation of this historical attack. ‘The class structure that attacked society and the woman-centered social upbringing later transformed in Mesopotamia into the council of gods, the Sumerian priests, and then into pharaohs and kings, leading to the continuation of patriarchal oppression over society.

“He pointed out in his message that women in this era are viewed as the most valuable raw material for capitalism, as their bodies are sold and their identities displayed in the market. As for the women whose spirits men dominate under the weight of a slavery instilled by the patriarchal mentality throughout history, the male-dominated social hierarchy — formed over thousands of years of civilizational conflict — brings nothing but violence and wars. He explained that patriarchal civilization, together with the state, stripped women of language, production, their bodies, and eventually the entire society. He affirmed that without recognizing this truth, no real step toward freedom can be taken.

Freedom Requires Great Depth and Organization”

Leader Abdullah Öcalan emphasized the necessity of recognizing and addressing the problems imposed on women by the patriarchal system. Observing the violations women face, it becomes clear that the level of enslavement exceeds all expectations. Women have been subjected to complete oppression and distortion of their true nature. Even the clothes women wear—whether to highlight beauty or status—carry symbolic meanings of inherited historical enslavement. Under capitalist modernity, this enslavement has worsened, as the system has turned women into mere tools for marketing and ornamentation. To break free from this systematic bondage, Öcalan believes that freedom requires profound awareness and strong organization.

 

“It Is Important to Understand the Relationship and Struggle Between Men and Women”

He explained that any step toward social freedom cannot become a true revolution unless women’s liberation is its foundation. He said:
“I find the relationships between men and women extremely sensitive. We have made women’s freedom our basis and evaluated relationships accordingly. The major part of our work is women’s work. It is important to understand the relationship and the struggle between men and women. We have analyzed and assessed the male domination that obstructs and enslaves women’s freedom in every possible way, and we established the sociology of freedom. It is clear that becoming a free woman is difficult, and liberation is not easy, but women must achieve this with courage. They must take the initiative to pull out the dagger of male domination planted in the back of humanity, and to build a free and democratic life