15 Women Mayors in DTP Is a Success But Not Enough

Women representation in local governments didn't improve in Sunday's elections. DTP has the most women mayors but they aim at equal representation, says their Women's Assembly chair Konca.

Emine Özcan

Democratic Society Party's (DTP) Women's Assembly chairperson Besime Konca is content that 15 women won in Sunday's local elections but admits that they failed to double the number.

Women candidates from DTP won in one city, 13 townships and one district, mainly in southeastern Turkey. Regarding a total of 99 mayors, women represent 15 percent of In 2004 elections, there were nine women mayors of DTP –one of them conceded later.

During the campaign period, the Association to Support and Educate Women Candidates (KA-DER) pressed for equal representation in local governments, thus urging political parties to choose their candidates accordingly. Although DTP is the party with most women mayors, it rests far from assuring equal representation.

"Change is slow and hard," says Konca. "AKP has three, CHP has only two women city mayors while MHP doesn't have any. We gave women places where they would win. There are only three women candidates of DTP who lost. Without determination on women's side, equal representation seems difficult but we want it."

According to Konca, DTP succeeded in achieving 40 percent women in local councils. "If our mayor is a man, we assign a woman vice-mayor and vice versa. All places of authority in the party are run by co-chairs."

Now, their aim is to improve relations with women in western parts of the country. Konca blames lack of media attention in this respect but doesn't yield to hardship. (EZÖ/AGÜ)