while Syria might come to mind as a war-torn zone, women are creating a haven for themselves in the Northern side of the country.
Jinwar (meaning women’s land in Kurdish) is a village which inhabited by women who have been able to sustain and excel devoid of any male interference.
Interestingly, the community is protected by female guards. Jinwar village has thirty brick houses, each house painted with hints of purple and blue. On the walls are written, “Until women educate and empower themselves, there won’t be freedom.”
The village was established by local and international women groups some years back so that women can live “free of the constraints of the oppressive power structures of patriarchy and capitalism.”
In a country where women were vocal with some openly condemning the wearing of
the h
ijab, the Syrian Civil War has caused women to face war rape and the traditional honour killings (caused by renouncing the faith, refusing to get into an arranged marriage among others).
The village is open to Widows, women who have lost their families, women want to escape the patriarchal system in the country. History tells that when the Isis caliphate ravaged Syria, Kurdish women took up arms to revolt against the war that left thousands killed and others used as s*x slaves.
Some of them live in the village with their children. These children are provided with free education and living expenses. To sustain their feeding, the women are invested i
n agricult
ure where vegetables are grown. To promote a deeply loving society, the women cook and eat together in the communal kitchen. Although men are allowed into the village, they cannot spend the night in the village.
