22/11/2023 | Writer: Selma Koçak
Reports of the Foundation for Women’s Solidarity, Kaos GL Association and Women’s Coalition were discussed at the November 25th events of Çankaya Municipality.
Çankaya Municipality has started its activities for the November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Non-governmental organizations opened stands at the events, which were held throughout the day yesterday (21 November) at the Çağdaş Sanatlar Merkezi (Contemporary Arts Centre).
Women’s and LGBTI+ organizations presented their reports within the scope of the discussion titled “We are together against violence, discrimination and hatred; we report!” The panel, moderated by Prof. Dr. Özlem Cankurtaran, included İlgi Kahraman from the Foundation for Women’s Solidarity, Yıldız Tar from Kaos GL, Gül Erdost and Sinem Mısırlıoğlu from Women’s Coalition.
“Women are prevented from rejecting their role in relations of domination by using violence”
İlgi Kahraman presented the 2013-2022 report of the Foundation for Women’s Solidarity Women’s Counseling Center. Reminding that they prepared their 10-year report based on the processes of 2949 women’s struggle against violence, Kahraman said:
“Violence against women is almost invariably perpetrated as a means of maintaining the advantages that men have over women. These advantages are sometimes manifested in the burden of domestic work on women as unpaid, unrequited labour, and sometimes in the domination of women’s bodies and sexuality. Domination over women’s bodies, labour and sexuality operates simultaneously in most cases. The functioning of the patriarchal system is based precisely on these relations of domination. Women are prevented from rejecting their role in this relationship by using violence.”
“The online perpetrators of violence against LGBTQI+ people are mostly unidentified”
Yıldız Tar talked about the report titled “All of a Sudden: Digital Violence Against LGBTI+s” published in recent months by Kaos GL. Reminding that the most highlighting findings of the report was that nine out of 10 LGBTI+ persons are subject to digital violence and they witness hate speech targeting themselves almost every day, Tar continued as follows:
“According to Türkiye Digital Violence Research by the Common Knowledge and Communication Association in 2021, one out of every five people in Türkiye is subject to digital violence. Even though the methodology and the markers of the research differ from ours, they give us a sense of the scale of digital violence where sexual orientation and gender identity are involved. Our own results indicate that nine out of 10 LGBTQI+ persons are victims of digital violence. All in all, it is fair to say that digital violence rates increase when the victims belong to LGBTQI+ communities. Digital violence and hate campaigns are not limited to the virtual environment; they escalate to physical and judicial violence against LGBTQI+ people. The online perpetrators of violence against LGBTQI+ people are mostly unidentified. In cases where their identities are known, a significant percentage comprises people from the target’s social circles such as friends, family and partners, as well as politicians, journalists and academics. The perpetrators can be broadly categorized as: political parties, politicians, media organizations, journalists, and academics.”
“Gender inequality was also present in the disaster process”
Gül Erdost spoke about the activities of the Women’s Coalition after the earthquake and the resulting “Report on Institutional Visits, Cooperation and Awareness-Raising Activities in the Earthquake and Migration-Receiving Provinces”:
“In the aftermath of the earthquake, the difficulties and obstacles experienced in clearing debris and accessing aid in some regions, the fact that many women and girls were menstruating continually due to post-earthquake stress and had no access to hygiene products was among the main problems. As a result of the problems regarding hygiene such as accessing toilets, the inability to take shower and satisfy laundry needs reproductive health diseases have outbroken. Various violations, violence and abuse against women and LGBTI+ people in the process of satisfying basic needs such as shelter and goods showed that gender inequality was also present during the disaster. LGBTI+ people were not accepted in collective living spaces and houses, and more efforts were needed to solve these problems.”
“Municipalities consider gender equality as a plan of action, not a policy”
Finally, Sinem Mısırlıoğlu presented the Women’s Coalition’s “Monitoring Gender Equality in Municipalities through the Eyes Women’s Organizations 2021-2022 Report”. Stressing that they consider monitoring as a political process, Mısırlıoğlu continued as follows:
“Municipalities are institutions that directly touch our lives with the services they provide. There can be no talk of freedom if we do not have a say in something that has a direct impact on our lives. One of the most important findings of the monitoring study is that the municipalities consider gender equality as an activity plan rather than defining it as a policy. We have seen that gender equality is an issue that is included in activity plans rather than policy changes that will affect all municipal services, that is overlooked in activities organized on special occasions, and that continues as long as funds or resources are available. If you cannot build a participatory structure, activities are not functional and sustainable.”
Tags: human rights, women
