Arab Youth Initiative founded in Shengal

An Arab Youth Initiative has been founded in Shengal town in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq). The founding meeting in the village of Mediban, west of Shengal, discussed the principles of an ethical-political society and the struggle for women’s liberation.

The initiative is composed of committees for culture, education, sports, media and agriculture and works according to the principle of a gender-parity co-presidency system. The logo reads “Arab Youth Initiative Shengal” in Kurdish and Arabic, with a mountain and a falcon in the background.

Members of the Yazidi youth and women’s movements, the PADÊ party, the Shengal Women’s Units (YJŞ) and the Shengal People’s Council also took part in the founding event. After various speeches, the statutes of the newly founded initiative were adopted, which include a clear commitment to the liberation philosophy of Abdullah Öcalan. The Shengal Autonomous Administration is recognised as the political and organisational representation, and the YBŞ and YJŞ armed associations as the fundamental force of self-defence in the region. According to its statutes, the Arab Youth Initiative assumes the responsibility of strengthening the self-defence forces.

Other basic principles are the recognition of the social leadership role of women and respect for all religions and beliefs. The goal is the freedom of women and society as a whole. The initiative fights against domination thinking and social sexism and claims the right to defend itself against all attacks coming from outside. The system of criticism and self-criticism is the working principle.