On May 30, Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan sent a letter to the Jineology Academy. In the letter, which has drawn significant attention among Kurdish women, Öcalan emphasized the “principle of hope” he developed for women, expressing his belief that women would lead the new era.

 

Rojda Yıldız shared her assessment of the “principle of hope” mentioned in the letter, the importance of women’s leadership in the new period, and ongoing efforts within Jineology.

 

‘A LETTER THAT MAKES US PROUD’

 

Expressing her excitement over receiving the letter, Yıldız said: “We already knew that Mr. Öcalan had been deeply engaged with Jineology even under isolation. His defenses proposed Jineology to women, who then began working on it. Under war and oppression, a rich body of theory was created. Engaging in direct dialogue with the person who developed this theory would have been invaluable, but due to isolation, women sought to understand and overcome it through intense focus. Receiving this letter and flower as a result of struggle is a source of pride for all of us.”

 

‘A NEW LINE HAS EMERGED’

 

Yıldız emphasized that Öcalan has placed women’s liberation at the center of the struggle since the beginning, which has led to significant transformation in Kurdistan: “Jineology emerged from questions such as ‘What is a woman? What is the reality of manhood? What is the truth behind gender relations?’ It challenges the notion that women’s submissiveness is natural. Today’s female identity is not merely shaped by imposed societal roles. Jineology has provided a method rooted in Öcalan’s social and ecological analysis to elevate women's issues to a new ideological and political level.”

 

‘WOMEN MUST BE DEFINED CORRECTLY’

 

Commenting on Öcalan’s statement that “The definition of womanhood must be handled through the method of identity and essence,” Yıldız said: “The female identity has been the most manipulated throughout history. Unless we understand what women truly are, we cannot define men or society accurately. Women have been labeled as ‘gossipy’, ‘curious’, or ‘evil’. Öcalan insists we must decode where these labels originate. For instance, the trope that ‘women are jealous’ can’t be separated from the jealous goddesses crafted by patriarchal minds in ancient Greece and Rome.”

 

She continued: “The saying ‘women are each other’s enemies’ isn’t just misogyny, it’s a systemic effort to prevent female solidarity. That’s why slogans like ‘Women’s solidarity keeps us alive’ reflect deep historical truth.”

 

‘FREEDOM IS POSSIBLE THROUGH TRANSFORMATION’

 

Addressing Öcalan’s “principle of hope,” Yıldız explained: “It means building a social life where every woman can realize her potential. Öcalan once said, ‘Society cannot be free unless women are free,’ not referring to physical freedom alone, but to mental liberation.”

 

“You can mobilize thousands of women, but unless you create spaces where they can truly express and realize themselves, the struggle may lack permanence. What sustains a movement is its ideological and political core,” she noted.

 

ROOT OF SOCIAL ISSUES

 

Marking the 10th year of Jineology magazine’s publication, Yıldız underlined the need for a leap forward: “So far, Jineology has focused on understanding and interpretation. But now, it must act. In times when hope for democracy and freedom grows, raising awareness and transforming more women is essential to achieve lasting peace and progress in the women’s movement.”

 

She also highlighted Öcalan’s assertion that “Women’s freedom is the foundation of socialism,” saying: “He sees the root of all social issues, from health to war, in the gender-based hierarchy. Patriarchy first learns to dominate by oppressing women, then extends this domination to society. Hence, a democratic society must allow for spaces where gender contradictions can be explored and resolved.”

 

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP IN SOCIALISM

 

Referring to Öcalan’s idea that “Socialism is a female culture,” Yıldız emphasized: “Historically, communes were organized spaces where women produced and defended social values collectively. Socialism revives matrilineal and communal values. Öcalan sees women—less involved in power and hegemony, as the key force for such a revival.”

 

She added: “We are at a chaotic juncture. Peace and diplomacy in the Middle East are again being orchestrated by male-dominated logic, often based on short-term interests. Women know this is dangerous. A peace process that excludes women or ignores their experiences merely lays the foundation for future conflicts. Women demand not a pause in war, but its complete eradication.”

 

“We can organize peace by spreading the call for a ‘Democratic Society and Peace’, preserving life and culture, and standing against violence,” Yıldız concluded.

 

MA / Berivan Altan