Organizations

A guide to Kurdish political, military, cultural, humanitarian, diaspora, women’s, youth, and media organizations across all four parts of Kurdistan and the diaspora.

Political Parties and Movements

Iraq (Southern Kurdistan)

Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)

Founded in 1946 by Mullah Mustafa Barzani; dominant in Erbil and Dohuk; nationalist focus on Kurdish autonomy within Iraq. Led by Masoud Barzani.

Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)

Founded in 1975 by Jalal Talabani; influential in Sulaymaniyah; advocates socialism and federalism; historically aligned with Iran.

Gorran (Movement for Change)

Established in 2009 by Nawshirwan Mustafa as a reformist opposition to corruption within the KRG.

Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU)

A moderate Islamic party influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood.

Kurdistan Islamic Group (Komal)

A smaller Islamist organization advocating conservative values.

Turkey (Northern Kurdistan)

Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)

Founded in 1978 by Abdullah Öcalan; from Marxist‑Leninist roots to “democratic confederalism”; active militarily and politically.

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP)

Pro‑Kurdish left‑wing party founded in 2012; unites Kurds, leftists, and minorities; frequently targeted by the state.

Democratic Regions Party (DBP)

Focuses on local governance and municipal autonomy; often allied with HDP.

HADEP / DTP / DEHAP (former)

Earlier Kurdish parties banned by Turkish authorities; predecessors to current movements.

Syria (Rojava / Western Kurdistan)

Democratic Union Party (PYD)

Founded in 2003; inspired by Öcalan’s ideas; the most powerful Kurdish party in Syria.

TEV‑DEM

Movement for a Democratic Society; umbrella coalition administering local councils in Rojava.

Kurdish National Council (ENKS)

Rival coalition supported by the KDP and Turkey.

Iran (Eastern Kurdistan)

Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI)

Founded in 1945; central to the 1946 Republic of Mahabad; advocates federalism and autonomy.

Komala

Leftist Kurdish party founded in 1969; active in Iranian Kurdistan.

PJAK

Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan; founded in 2004; affiliated with the PKK; wages armed resistance in Iran.

Military and Paramilitary Organizations

Peshmerga

Official armed forces of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq; historically aligned with KDP and PUK.

YPG

People’s Protection Units; main Kurdish force in Rojava; pivotal in the fight against ISIS.

YPJ

Women’s Protection Units; all‑female branch of the YPG and a symbol of women’s empowerment.

PKK Guerrillas

Armed wing of the PKK operating mainly in Turkey and northern Iraq.

HPG

People’s Defense Forces; official armed wing of the PKK.

PJAK Armed Forces

Military arm seeking Kurdish autonomy in Iran.

Asayish

Internal security and police forces in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and in Rojava.

Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS)

Yazidi self‑defense group formed after the 2014 ISIS genocide in Sinjar.

Kurdistan Institute of Paris

Founded in 1983; promotes Kurdish language, culture, and research.

Kurdish Writers’ Union

Supports Kurdish literature and protects writers’ rights.

Kurdish PEN

Part of PEN International; supports Kurdish writers and intellectual freedom.

Kurdish Language Academies

Institutions working on standardizing Kurmanji, Sorani, and other dialects.

Kurdish Music and Arts Festivals

Annual diaspora festivals in Europe promoting Kurdish music, dance, and cinema.

Human Rights and Advocacy Organizations

Human Rights Association (IHD)

Turkey‑based NGO documenting abuses, including those against Kurds.

Kurdish Human Rights Project (KHRP)

London‑based organization advocating for Kurdish rights globally.

Amnesty International Reports on Kurds

Independent documentation of state abuses against Kurdish populations.

Yazda

NGO founded by Yazidis to advocate for survivors of the ISIS genocide.

Kurdish Red Crescent (Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê)

Provides medical aid in Rojava and other Kurdish regions.

Diaspora and International Organizations

Kurdistan National Congress (KNK)

Established in 1999 in Brussels; umbrella body representing parties and civil society.

Kurdish Community Centers

Centers in Germany, Sweden, the UK, and North America serving as cultural and political hubs.

Kurdish American Congress

U.S.‑based lobbying and advocacy for Kurdish issues.

Kurdish Institute of Washington

Promotes Kurdish culture and policy awareness in the United States.

Kurdish Cultural Center (London)

Cultural programming and community support in the UK.

Women’s and Gender Equality Organizations

Kurdistan Women’s Communities (KJK)

Umbrella organization affiliated with the PKK, promoting women’s autonomy.

YPJ

Military force and a political statement on women’s equality in Rojava.

Women’s Houses (Mala Jin)

Local centers in Rojava for rights, protection from violence, and participation.

Kurdish Feminist Networks (Europe)

Advocacy for gender equality and Kurdish women’s empowerment in the diaspora.

Youth and Student Organizations

Kurdistan Students Union (Iraq)

Active in the KRG, promoting education and civic awareness among youth.

Kurdish Youth Movement (Europe)

Mobilizes Kurdish diaspora youth for cultural and political activism.

Cultural Youth Groups

Music, theater, and language clubs in diaspora communities.

Media and Information Networks

Rudaw Media Network

Erbil‑based media group affiliated with the KDP.

Kurdistan 24 (K24)

News network aligned with KRG perspectives.

Sterk TV

PKK‑affiliated broadcaster from Europe.

Med TV (historical)

First Kurdish satellite channel; banned in the late 1990s.

Hawar News (ANHA)

News agency in Rojava.

Diaspora Media (Europe)

Kurdish media networks in Germany, Sweden, and the UK.