ŞÊRÎN MUHAMED

Qamishlo- Women, who led the revolution in North and East Syria, have participated in all facets of life to rebuild life, improve themselves by receiving education. Women journalists in the region have reported the gains of the revolution and the experiences of women to the whole world.

Women graduating from the faculty of journalism use their pens to raise awareness, change society and empower women. “I wanted to work as a journalist to improve myself more and gain enough experience in the media field,” said Berivan Qassem, one of the women studying journalism at the University of Rojava.

 ‘We should work very hard’

Berivan Qassem, a resident of Amuda, works in Qamishlo to gain more experience. “I am a reporter for Rojava TV. Giving a message from our society to the whole world and telling the truth to the whole world are our responsibility,” she told NuJINHA. “As women journalists, we should work very hard to make the women’s revolution in Rojava successful.”

‘We want to rewrite our history’

Most university students are young women, Berivan Qassem said, “This proves that women struggle to improve themselves and society. We want to rewrite our history through the opportunities provided by the revolution. Women working in journalism have broken gender stereotypes in society and proved that women are capable of working in every field. Thanks to our martyrs who sacrificed their lives, we receive education in our own language and graduate from universities. We follow in the footsteps of our martyrs to realize their dreams and protect the gains of the revolution.”

Berivan Qassem also called on all young women to protect the gains of the revolution. “I am proud to have graduated from a Kurdish university and I will work hard to make the voice of society, especially women, heard and written.”

 “Following the Rojava Revolution, people of Afrin started receiving education in Kurdish,” said Lilav Ali, a displaced journalist of Afrin. “I received education in Kurdish until the sixth grade. Receiving education was the dream of our ancestors. Then, I started studying the history of Kurdistan and the battles took place in Kurdistan. At that time, I realized how the media plays an important role to change society and began to work as a journalist.”

 ‘I made great efforts to report what happened in Afrin’

When Lilav Ali decided to work as a journalist, her family did not accept in the beginning, “Because our society did not accept women to work as journalists. But I was always determined to prove myself in society. Therefore, I struggled to change my family and my society.” Right after she began to work as a journalist, the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions started attacking Afrin. “I faced challenges but I never gave up writing women's stories. I made great efforts to report what happened in Afrin and the attacks targeting civilians, including children and women.”

‘We were determined to resist’

Lilav Ali could not complete her education because the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions occupied Afrin. “The Turkish attacks targeted the gains of our revolution. They aimed to take our language, our memories and our city from us. Despite all the challenges, we were determined to resist.”

After being displaced from Afrin to Shahba, Lilav Ali began to study journalism at the University of Rojava and graduated from the university. “Now, I am a reporter for Rojava TV. We will follow in the footsteps of our martyrs by writing the realities of our people. I call on all women to protect the gains of the women’s revolution.”