Turkey – New Women’s Political Party Emerges – Kadin Partisi
Author: Womens UN Report Network
Date: October 6, 2014
WUNRN
Turkey – New Women’s Political Party Emerges
Symbol representing Turkey’s
newest political party: Kadin Partisi (Women’s Party)
By Sarrah
Safi – July 18, 2014
A tsunami of domestic abuse cases is flooding
the courts in Turkey’s judicial system, with an increasing number of women
finding courage to come forth seeking justice against those who inflict
violence upon them. Among these women are activists, including those seeking a
bigger, better solution to the lack of justice given to female victims.
The in-depth article, “Turkey’s Rampant Domestic Abuse
Problem,” published by The Daily Beast, cites various women and
their experiences regarding abuse in Turkey.
“In the evenings we listened to the shouts, the
cries, the swearing. In the morning we went on with our lives as usual. The
entire neighborhood pretended not to have heard, not to have seen,” Turkish
author Elif Shafak explains, recalling a past experience.
Though women have gradually been forthcoming
about their cases of abuse, perpetrators remain unpunished. This widespread
problem in Turkey leaves women with nowhere to turn as security forces
become a “boys’ clubs that goes easy on men when it comes to ‘family
disputes.’” In other words, Turkish security forces don’t enforce justice on
men that decide to abuse women.
KADIN PARTISI – WOMEN’S PARTY
The best way to solve a problem is by tackling
it at its roots.
Benal Yazgan has done just that. On June 26,
Yazgan and her supporters submitted a petition to the interior ministry
requesting the Kadin Partisi (Women’s Party) be recognized as a legitimate
political party. Kadin Partisi was founded by a group of women activists (along
with two men) to “fight against gender discrimination and inequality in society,
as well as discrimination based on religion, language, ethnicity and sexual
orientation, and fight against military and civil coups and hate speech.”
The newfound political party will offer Turkish
society a chance to equalize representation in its governing body pertaining to
the sexes. What does this mean for abused women? Officials that are women.
Women fighting for women’s rights. New laws promoting equality. New policies
enforcing justice. It is possible that this is just the beginning of a women’s
liberation movement in Turkey.
Though Kadin Partisi was founded too late to
participate in Turkey’s elections in August, they will be able to participate in parliamentary elections in 2015. That gives
them a year to establish themselves and gain enough supporters to win seats in
parliament.
However, many steps must be taken by the Kadin
Partisi before its goals become a true success. The next step requires the
party to establish itself across the country by raising funds for domains and
offices as well as growing its member base. That shouldn’t be hard to do as
half the population is female, though only time will tell if these women are
successful in changing the course of their impaired government – or if their
voices will be silenced by the very system that is meant to protect them.
Categories: Releases