The eighteenth session of the United Nations Forum on Minority Issues in Geneva (Oppressed Peoples) concluded yesterday, 28 November 2025, after two days of intensive sessions in which more than 80 countries, hundreds of human rights and civil organizations, researchers, and political activists participated.
The Kurdish civil society actively participated in the two-day sessions, where the delegation presented several interventions focusing on the violations suffered by the Kurdish people in Afrin, Sere Kaniye, and Gire Spi, as well as the future rights of the Kurdish people, foremost among them the international protection of the Rojava region and the right to self-determination in accordance with international frameworks related to the rights of minorities and peoples.
The President of the Geostrategic Organization for Kurdish Civil Society, Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa (Kaban), delivered a prominent opening speech in which he presented the Kurdish civil society's vision regarding the challenges and threats facing the Kurds in the areas occupied by Turkey and the mercenary and terrorist groups (Afrin – Sere Kaniye – Gire Spi). He emphasized the need for the international community to protect the Kurdish people in Rojava and ensure their right to self-determination, given the Kurds’ pivotal role in confronting terrorism. He stressed that the Kurdish people in Syrian Kurdistan must be rewarded for their efforts after defending democratic and civilizational values against ISIS and other terrorist groups.
Concerning the suffering of the Êzidi Kurds, Dr. Media Sheikha, activist and member of the Association of Kurdish Doctors in Germany, delivered an important speech at the forum’s opening session. She focused on the genocide, forced displacement, and systematic violations faced by the Êzidi community, especially women and children, in addition to the ongoing challenges they face in displacement camps and in the pursuit of justice and accountability. She also addressed the general Kurdish situation in Syria and Iraq, stressing the need to provide international protection and effective guarantees to prevent the recurrence of tragedies, strengthen the rights of indigenous peoples, and enable the Kurds to determine their future and live peacefully on their historical land.
At the conclusion of the forum, Ms. Sawsan Deko, President of the Kurdish Women’s Association – Austria, delivered a focused speech addressing the roots of the Kurdish issue and the historical injustices suffered by the Kurdish people due to successive authoritarian regimes in Syria. She stressed the necessity of adopting a just political solution that guarantees the establishment of a democratic federal state in which the national rights of the Kurdish people on their historical land are preserved, in accordance with international conventions and in a way that ensures stability for all peoples of the region.
The Kurdish civil society delegation also included the religious figure Bishop Jean Elias, whose presence carried significant symbolic and moral weight. His participation underscored the human and spiritual dimensions of the delegation’s message, reinforcing calls to protect the religious and cultural rights of all communities and highlighting the ethical role of civil society in defending the values of justice and pluralism.
During the days of the forum, the Kurdish civil society delegation held several important meetings with many official delegations and participating human rights organizations, in order to present the Kurdish file directly, clarify the ongoing violations, and strengthen joint cooperation. The delegation also succeeded in consolidating relations with a number of international organizations in a way that serves the follow-up of human rights issues in Kurdish areas and raises them to the relevant bodies within the United Nations.
The forum also witnessed speeches delivered by Kurdish activists and human rights defenders, focusing on the national rights of the Kurdish people, the existential threats they face, and the continuous attempts to erase their national identity, in addition to ongoing demographic changes in the occupied Kurdish cities. The speakers stressed the necessity of stopping these practices and activating international protection mechanisms to safeguard the Kurdish presence in its historical regions."
The Kurdish civil society delegation was represented by the following organizations: - The Geostrategic Organization for Kurdish Civil Society
- Kurdish Women’s Association – Austria
- The German International Organization for Development and Peace
- Afrin Human Rights Organization – Syria
- Komela Zozan for Folklore Free Intellectuals Gathering
- The Geostrategic Studies Network
In its concluding interventions, the delegation affirmed that the continuation of systematic violations against the Kurds in Syria—whether in the Autonomous Administration areas or in Kurdish regions under occupation—requires urgent international action commensurate with the scale of threats facing the Kurdish presence. The delegation stressed the need to provide clear and effective support to protect civilians, establish independent UN mechanisms to monitor and document violations against indigenous populations, and ensure that responsible parties do not escape accountability. The delegation also called for including minority participation—foremost the Kurdish people—as an essential component of any future political process, in a way that ensures their national rights and lays the foundation for a sustainable and just solution in Syria."
Kurdish Civil Society Delegation to Geneva
29 November 2025
