The first of the women’s forums of the THRESHOLD platform to be held in 11 cities started in Van. Speaking here, THRESHOLD Volunteers Berrin Sönmez and Lawyer Hülya Gülbahar said that their first demand was equality and that the courage imparted by women in Iran should be blended.
The Women’s Platform for Equality (THEŞİK) organized the first women’s forums in 11 cities with the slogan “Equal, free and non-violent life”, started in Van. Many women, including representatives of women’s institutions and political parties, attended the forum held at the Van Bar Association Tahir Elçi Hall. EŞİK volunteers spoke to Serhat News before the forum.
‘THRESHOLD established against objections in the Istanbul Convention’
Saying that the Women’s Platform for Equality is officially the 2nd year of its establishment, Berrin Sönmez talked about the work that women have been doing on zoom since February, during the pandemic period. Sönmez said, “What will their lives and dreams be in an environment where women are confined to their homes? What problems will women have? We exchanged ideas with women from all over Turkey and from different countries of the world. We acted in fear of the scope of this amnesty for murderers of women and child abusers when an amnesty would come out during the pandemic period. We held demonstrations with women, we organized demonstrations on social media under the conditions of the pandemic. All of a sudden, we said, ‘Let’s turn into a platform’ against the opposition of the ruling government on the ‘Istanbul contract’ and established the women’s platform for equality.”
‘Women’s lives were signed with the decision of a single person’
Sönmez stated that they are also carrying out parliamentary monitoring studies. Sönmez said, “We published a report every month and in the first report we published, the word woman was used for only 57 seconds in a huge parliament. While this continues every month, all deputies have been interested in this issue. In our last report, we went through a period in which much stronger proposals were made, and legislative proposals for women were discussed many times. “After the Istanbul Convention, despite all our efforts, Erdogan’s signature decision by a single person in an unlawful night, this time has dealt a huge blow to women’s rights, lives and dreams,” she said.
‘We came to listen to women’
Expressing that they turned to the parliament again this time because of this coup against women, Sönmez expresses what their responsibilities are to the deputies and what kind of work they do in this context: Who spoke about the ‘Istanbul Convention’? Which MP made sexist jokes? Which MP visited only men’s areas and never paid attention to women? This will be the beginning of our meeting today. The pandemic is over and we will do this solidarity face to face. What do women in institutions or unorganized think about their future? We came to listen to women in this form.”
‘Courage is contagious, let’s blend that fire’
Lawyer Hülya Gülbahar, a THRESHOLD volunteer, stated that they are trying to organize a meeting of women across Turkey. Gülbahar expressed that she wants women from all political views, religious beliefs and social segments to come together. Gülbahar said, “Let’s discuss our unique problems and our common problems. Let’s look for solutions together. We would like to commemorate the murder of Mahsa Amin on the grounds that she did not comply with the headscarf rules and the struggle started by our friends here. Because courage is contagious. We already have that courage inside of us, and we want to ignite that fire together here. We want equality, not on paper, but concretely in every aspect of life. In order to achieve this equality, multi-faceted institutional support is required, from the opening of nurseries in every neighborhood, in every workplace, to the opening of counseling centers where women can be consulted when they are exposed to violence. We don’t want abstract words, we are very tired”.
‘We need to come together against danger’
THRESHOLD Volunteer Zozan Özgökçe, who spoke first in the form that started, underlined that the struggle for free women goes through the struggle together. Özgökçe said, “THRESHOLD has been struggling in the field of women for a long time. The reason we do this form is because we are in danger as women. That’s why we need to come together. All of our rights have been violated. It was essential for us to stick together and touch each other for our rights.”
The forum, which will continue tomorrow in Edirne, continued in a closed position after the speeches.
Camera-Mount: Dildar Güler
Serhat News
Translator :Akif Coşkun
