Women Have Already Lost Upcoming Local Elections

As poltical parties announce their lists of candidates, the near zero representation of women in local governments surfaces once again. As of now, only 0,6 percent of local governors are women. Ka-Der is lobbying for a 50 percent women's quota.

Emine Özcan

As local elections on March 29th are approaching, most of the political parties have announced their list of candidates; the number of women among them doesn’t exceed 5 percent.

The Association for the Support and Education of Women Candidates (KA-DER) has revealed that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has only 18 women candidates for the elections.

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has 35, the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) has 33, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has 46 and the central-right Democrat Party (DP) has 37 women candidates, with a total of 169 in those five parties.

Turkey has 81 cities, 850 townships and 2 thousand 941 districts for which local governors will be elected.

As of now, the ratio of women governors stand only at 0,6 percent, which means only 18 out of 3,225 places are held by women. This ratio didn’t change in the elections in 1999, nor in 2004. Regarding the city councils, women’s participation has only increased slightly, to 1,81 percent. In district councils the ratio stands at 2,42 percent.

KA-DER, which provides support and training to women planning to get involved in politics, demands a 50 percent quota. This demand is met only by the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP). The DTP also employs positive discrimination for women.(EZÖ/AGÜ)