Female Candidates Only Reach 6 Percent in Upcoming Elections

As Turkey is approaching the municipal elections, political parties announced their candidate lists one by one. However, the percentage of female candidates hardly reached a satisfactory level with less than 2 percent of AKP and MHP, and 5 percent for BDP. 

Kadın Koalisyonu, a women’s right organization, released a report revealing the number of female candidates. 

“There is nothing in the elections scene except the battle between men over invading the cities. Female candidates have even been ousted out of exhibition,” the report concluded. 

“We will reveal political parties which ignore women and disregard gender equality. We also find it problematic that political parties have yet to announce all their candidates in the wake of elections.” 

According to the report, the distribution of female candidates according to the four main political parties was listed as follows: 

* AKP: Only 1 out of 81 mayor candidates is a woman. (1.23 percent)

* CHP: Only 31 out of 745 mayor candidates is a woman. (4.16 percent) 

* MHP:  Only 12 out of 1064 mayor candidates is a woman. (1.12 percent)

* BDP: Only 32 out of 182 mayor candidates is a woman. (17.58 percent). However, the tolls rises to 44.50 percent including co-mayors. 

Out of all announced 2072 mayor candidates, female candidates only make up 6 percent. 

“Application fees exclude women” 

The report recommended that political parties took a series of “encouraging” measures for women to apply for candidacies including wavering the application fee for becoming a candidate. 

No women quota in CHP and MHP 

Reminding that one of the most important signs of encouraging women to run in elections for political parties is to include them in their election strategy declarations. 

The report cited election declarations of political parties as follows: 

BDP: 40 percent women quota in organization and co-chairperson system. 23 location have been declared within co-chair system.  Exclusion of male candidates with polygamy (since 2003) and history of domestic violence. 

AKP: 1/3 women quota in organization and assembly candidates. 

No such strategy was listed in the election strategy declarations of CHP and MHP. (ÇT/BM)

* İlknur Üstün from Kadın Koalisyonu told bianet that HPD had yet to declare its candidates as they did the research. “We will included them later,” she said.