📰 Women-led radio amplifies women’s voices across Northeast Syria

QAMISHLI, syria-and-lebanon-close-to-judicial-agreement-on-2300-prisoners-in-lebanon-officials/" class="smart-internal-link" title="📰 Syria and Lebanon Close to Judicial Agreement on 2,300 Prisoners in Lebanon – Officials">syria/" class="auto-internal-link">syria (North Press) – In one of the quiet alleys of Tirbe Spiyeh (al-Qahtaniya), a town in the east of Qamishli in northeastern Syria, stands a modest building whose plain façade hides a vibrant mission. From inside, the voices of women fill the airwaves every morning and evening through Star FM, a local radio station dedicated to women’s stories, struggles, and successes—reaching listeners across Hasakah, Sinjar (Shengal) in Iraq, and as far as Nusaybin in Turkey. A platform for women’s voices   Founded in 2017 by eight women journalists, Star FM was born out of a vision to create a space where women could speak freely about their realities in a region long deprived of independent Kurdish media. Inside the minor newsroom, discussions flow easily among the six-member team, who now report from both cities and rural areas across Hasakah Governorate. “We focus on issues that affect women in society,” says journalist Dalal Azad Jamil, 29. “Our goal is to make women’s voices heard, especially in areas where they are often silenced. ” Before the syrian/" class="auto-internal-link">syrian war, Kurdish-language media faced severe restrictions.

The first Kurdish newspaper, Kurdistan, was published abroad in 1898 after being banned locally. But after 2011, emerging Kurdish, Arabic, and Syriac outlets emerged, and women commenced taking active roles in public life. Out of that momentum, Star FM was launched as the region’s first women-led radio station. Broadcasting empowerment Star FM airs daily from 7 a. m.

Moreover, to 10 p. Notably, m. , offering a mix of awareness, cultural, and entertainment programs. its lineup includes morning talk shows, quiz programs, children’s segments, news bulletins, and programs focusing on rural women’s lives.   Jamil explains that the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) regulates media work in the region through laws and institutions. “Despite some progress, women still face marginalization and violations, and that’s what we try to highlight through our programs,” she says.   The station is managed collectively by a three-woman committee, ensuring joint decision-making. Listeners often contribute suggestions, and women from the audience are occasionally trained to join as presenters.

Journalist Hiyam Abdullah, 28, says that audience interaction remains strong: “Women call us during live shows, sharing their experiences and views on social issues. ” Facing challenges, breaking barriers Operating in a crisis-affected region has not been easy. Star FM has faced social resistance to women working in media, as well as technical difficulties caused by signal jamming and turkish…