‘How Many Women Living in Women’s Shelters Could Vote in Local Elections?’

Click to read the article in Turkish

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Ankara MP Filiz Kerestecioğlu has submitted a parliamentary question regarding the right to vote of women who live in women's shelters across Turkey.

Addressing Minister of Family, Labor and Social Services Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk, Kerestecioğlu has asked, "How many women were supported by 144 women's shelters across Turkey as of March 31, 2019 and how many of these women could vote in March 31 local elections?"

Speaking to bianet, Canan Güllü, the Chair of Women Associations Federation, previously stated that the number of women who could not vote for that reason was estimated to be 3 thousand 860.

'Women were forced to choose between their security of life and right to vote'

In her parliamentary question, Kerestecioğlu has indicated,

"For the last five years, the society of Turkey has gone to the polls for seven times and before every election, human rights organizations, especially the ones defending women's rights, appealed to the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services, the Supreme Election Council (YSK) and other related authorities and requested that necessary legal regulations be introduced to end the violation of rights faced by women.

"Despite this years-long struggle, in March 31 local elections as well, women were forced to choose between their security of life and their right to vote and to be elected and, most probably, thousands of them opted for the first."

'How many women living in shelters did vote?'

Kerestecioğlu has addressed a series of questions to Minister of Family, Labor and Social Services Selçuk, including the following:

• How many women did receive support from 144 women's shelters across Turkey from October 1, 2018 - March 31, 2019?
• How many of these women supported by shelters were also subject to the confidentiality measure as per the Law no. 6284 on Protection of Families and Prevention of Violence Against Women? How many women who did not live in women's shelters in the indicated time period were subject to this measure as per the Law no. 6284?
• How many women were supported by 144 women's shelters across Turkey as of March 31, 2019 and how many of these women could cast votes in March 31 local elections?
• How many women were subject to the confidentiality measure as per the Law no. 6284 as of March 31, 2019 and how many of these women could vote in local elections?
• How many women in total could not vote in March 31 local elections for fear of their life safety? (EMK/SD)