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The Women's Assembly of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) met women in Antep yesterday (September 15) as part of its "No to Women's Poverty" meetings. Among the delegation were there HDP Women's Assembly Spokesperson Ayşe Acar-Başaran, HDP MPs Ayşe Sürücü and Nuran İmir, Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Antep Co-Chair Kadriye Elmas, HDP Antep Co-Chair Songül Koçdağ and HDP Antep Women's Assembly.
The delegation first visited the women doing piecework such as packaging and sorting in the central Şehitkamil district.
As reported by Mezopotamya Agency (MA), the women told the HDP Women's Assembly that they make a living by cleaning the raisins provided by the intermediaries. They earn 60 kurush (approximately 0.07 USD) per kilogram of raisins for removing their capstems.
Ntoing that she earns 20-25 liras (approximately 2.3-2.9 USD) a day, a woman said that she pays 750 lira for rent a month and looks after six children. The woman also said that she does not have another source of income and has to work, albeit for a low fee.
HDP MP Nuran İmir stated that the situation that women have found themselves in in Turkey is a shame for the government: "We will keep struggling in all spheres until women get their labor's worth."
'Poverty is not our fate'
Listening to the problems of the women, HDP's Acar-Başaran said, "Women's poverty is not our fate," noting that they will bring the problems to the Parliamentary agenda. Showing the calluses on their hands, the women said that they do not have social security.
A woman said, "They exploit us. It is our labor, but it is not us who earn it. We are aware of what is happening, we do this job because of poverty."
The campaign will continue
Going from house to house and listening to the problems of women, the delegation will hold a meeting with women in the Şahinbet and Şehitkamil district offices. The delegation will then meet with the women from civil society organizations, women's platform and the women who were dismissed by Statutory Decrees. (EMK/SD)
