A Unidade de Defesa das Mulheres (YPJ) e sua atuação como ator não-estatal armado na luta contra o ISIS

Abstract

Women are entering more and more important places in today's society, especially in themes that are generally related only to the masculinized world, as is the case of armed conflicts. When one thinks of such scenario, it is very recurrent not to associate it with the feminine presence, framing them as civilians, victims of war, or supporters of functions designated for men. In the same way that roles are assigned to women, armed non-state actors (VNSAs) are often seen as groups operating in opposition to the State, being explicit threats to security and stability, especially in weak states, where government institutions of and general nation legitimacy is weakened. Thus, the present work has as a starting question "How the action of the Women's Defense Unit (YPJ) in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) helps in breaking down traditional views on women and non-state armed actors in the context of armed conflicts?". In order to answer this question, the classic view on non-state armed actors and their range of classification will be presented, as well as the view on gender as a category of analysis and feminist debates on international security. Subsequently, the regional context on Kurdistan and the struggle of Kurdish women will be addressed, followed by an outline of the YPJ and the conflict against ISIS. As a hypothesis, it is argued that the performance of such a unit represents the breaking of the stereotypes about women and VNSAs. The results show that de Women’s Defense Unit is a unique actor of fluid dynamics, not fitting the roles that are commonly attributed to women and to armed non-state actors.