29/02/2024 | Writer: Selma Koçak
Bakırhan, signed GoFor’s Youth Rights Convention, which includes “diverse sexual orientation and gender identity”.
Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) co-chair Tuncer Bakırhan hosted the Youth Organizations Forum (GoFor) as the National Youth Council of Turkey in his office room at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. DEM party Hakkari MP Onur Düşünmez also attended the meeting. Local election campaign, studies and works conducted by GoFor, and the significance of a local governance model that places emphasis on the rights, youth quota of the political parties and political involvement of young individuals were among the issues discussed during the meeting. Additionally GoFor shared the their Declaration on Local Elections, which was prepared by 57 member organizations and expressed their opinions on the DEM Party Election Manifesto.
Bakırhan highlighted that the trustee policy hindered the fulfillment of promises concerning local governments. He underscored that the barriers impeding youth were significant obstacles to Turkey’s democratization and development, expressing the importance of the youth movement. He stressed that the primary aim of the youth movement is to prevent young individuals from losing hope in politics amidst Turkey's current socio-political climate.
At the conclusion of the meeting, DEM party co-chair Bakırhan signed the Youth Rights Convention, which encompasses declarations concerning youth rights, their participation in local governance, and engagement with youth organizations.
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The contract prepared by GoFor emphasizes that the definition of youth is not homogeneous and includes “diverse sexual orientations and gender identities”.
All articles of the agreement, which was signed by DEM Party co-chair leader Tuncer Bakırhan, are as follows:
“As co-chair of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party, in the context of the local elections to be held on 31 March 2024;
· I pledge to work with youth organizations both before and after the elections to establish a youth-focused local government vision for my party,
· I pledge to have youth policy agendas to support this vision within the party and to work with youth experts on issues that directly or indirectly affect young people,
· I will ensure that all young people in Turkey benefit fully and comprehensively from all universal human rights and political, economic, social and cultural rights regardless of language, religion, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and socio-economic class. I will develop a vision and mission for local government to secure these rights,
· I will develop strategies with elected officials from my party to enable the direct participation of young people in local decision-making mechanisms to ensure the effective, inclusive and sustainable realization of these rights,
· I will ensure that strategic plans are developed for provinces and districts under our party’s administration in collaboration with elected officials, young people and youth organizations, and that budgets and services are tailored to meet identified needs in line with the participation of young people and youth organizations,
· I will recognize that the definition of youth is not a homogeneous concept as it encompasses different social groups such as language, religion, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and socio-economic class. I will take into account the different needs, rights and demands of young people who are employed, unemployed, educated or uneducated, and those who are not in education or employment, and will develop macro and micro policies by following local youth agendas,
· I will encourage elected/selected candidates to form youth councils and provide incentives to existing councils to strengthen them,
I hereby commit to this pledge as a signatory.”
Tags: human rights
