06/04/2021 | Writer: Yiğit E Korkmaz
The Civil Inspection Board asked if the city councils had LGBTI+ assemblies during its investigation on city councils, whose duties include improving participation and democracy.
We want all of the city, not ghettos, Illustration: Gizem Karagöz, stock image for KaosGL.org
The Civil Inspection Board sent a letter to Şişli and Beşiktaş City Councils. The board asked if LGBTI+ assemblies had been established within the city councils. The board also requested documents of the development and activities of LGBTI+ assemblies starting from their formation.
According to the information obtained by KaosGL.org, a letter was sent to Şişli and Beşiktaş City Councils of İstanbul. Reportedly, other city councils are also received the same letter.
The Chief Civil Inspector asked city councils if they had "created an assembly or organizations of similar nature to operate under the name of LGBTI+ or similar names".
The letter also asked what works, if any, were carried out, and whether in-kind and cash expenditures were spent for these activities.
For which investigation the Civil Inspector asked this question remains unknown.
About City Councils
According to the legislation, city councils are established to "develop urban perspective and citizen awareness in the urban life, protection of the city's rights and law, sustainable development, environmental awareness, social assistance, and solidarity, implement the principles of transparency, accountability, participation, governance and decentralized government".
Assemblies and workgroups within the council are described in the legislation as follows:
Assemblies and working groups: Joint voluntary structures in the areas of responsibility of the city council, aimed at ensuring the contribution of various segments of society in the sustainable development of the city based on governance and taking an active role in the management of quality and livable city"
The duties of city councils according to legislation are:
a) To promote democratic participation at the local level, to develop the awareness of citizen code and urban life awareness, to ensure the adoption of multi-partner and multi-actor governance,
b) To ensure sustainable development and to prepare and implement plans for solving the problems that arise in this regard,
c) To contribute to the formation of a joint decision making mechanism covering the whole city in the implementation and monitoring processes in determining the basic strategies and activity plans related to the city,
d) To develop participation, democracy and culture of reconciliation within the framework of locality principle,
e) To protect and develop historical, cultural, natural and similar values related to the identity of the city,
f) To contribute to the effective, efficient and fair use of urban resources,
g) To support environmentally conscious and anti-poverty programs that improve the quality of life of the city based on the concept of sustainable development,
h) To contribute to the development and institutionalization of civil society,
i) To increase the activity of children, young people, women and people with disabilities in social life and to ensure that they take an active role in local decision-making mechanisms,
j) To contribute to the implementation of the principles of transparency, participation, accountability and predictability in urban governance,
k) To ensure that the opinions established in the city council are sent to the relevant municipality for evaluation.
Tags: human rights
