KA.DER: Women Want ‘Equality’ in Both Electing and be Elected

Supporting Women Candidates Association (KA.DER) making a statement prior to December 5, the anniversary of women gaining right to elect and be elected in Turkey has said, “We will fight against ‘this mindset’ until ‘that equality’ is established!”.

The statement emphasized that women in Turkey have been entitled to elect and be elected for 81 years, yet cannot use their right to be elected:

“Women hold 82 chairs out of 550 chairs at TBMM (Grand National Assembly of Turkey), two ministries out of 25, three Metropolitan Municipality Mayorship out of 30, and ‘none’ out of Vice Prime Ministries”.

“If women could have in real terms used the right to be elected…”

The statement remarking that “TBMM of which men constitute 85% ‘naturally’ takes decision that concern men’s lives” listed the changes in case women use their right to be elected in real terms:

-  Concept of equality will become prevalent in all sections of the society

-  There will be women administrators with woman mindset generating solutions for women’s problems

-  Number of women will raise in local administrations, woman-friendly cities will be created

-  Women will be able to find shelter and find legal support when they are subjected to violence

-  The state will not be able to legitimize violence against women. Laws protecting women will be enacted, women deaths due to male violence will end.

- Turkey will be one of the role model countries in which women and men have equal rights in every area.

Struggle until equality is established

Following expression included in the statement

“We are now done with hearing things such as ‘Woman’s place is her home!’, ‘Women are not sufficiently equipped!’, ‘Politics is man’s work!’, ‘Woman cannot pass over her house duties!’

“We are not nominated because of this mindset and prejudices, and cannot take place in party administrations and decision making mechanisms that concern women problems.

“We want ‘equality’ in both electing and be elected.

“Our struggle against the mindset, which wants to govern without women, pass its chairs ‘from man to man’, speaks of justice, equality, democracy whilst ‘ignoring’ half of the population, will continue ‘UNTIL THAT EQUALITY IS ESTABLISHED!’” (ÇT/TK)

Click here to read the article in Turkish