02/02/2024 | Writer: Selma Koçak
Earlier on the upcoming local elections, SPoD launched its campaign titled “The Municipality got this”
Social Policy, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Studies Association (SPoD) launched a campaign titled “The Municipality got this” before the upcoming local elections. Throughout the campaign, the association will use the data collected through the hotline, news and social media to find out which of the problems experienced by lubunyas (queers) may be solved by the municipalities and how. The campaign aims to ensure that local governments provide more inclusive services for LGBTI+ people and to remind local governments of their responsibility to provide equal services.
“We want municipalities that work with us!”
The association announced the campaign as follows:
“Local elections are approaching. In two months, we will once again be at the polls casting our votes for mayors, municipal council members and mukhtars. However, the entire election process and the political atmosphere are fostering pessimism among many of us. We are immensely struggling against the economic crisis, violence, hate speech against LGBTI+ people and natural disasters. In these challenging times, it can be difficult to keep the hope, to dream, to hold on to the struggle in the country we live in. As people who share similar troubles and feelings, it seems like it is our right to feel fatigue, resentment, and despair. Nevertheless we must expand our struggle, and make our demands known in order to reach the quality of lives we deserve in our neighborhoods and cities.
In the upcoming elections, we will choose who will govern the municipalities that impact our lives through the policies they produce. All eyes will be on the promises of the candidates. Perhaps we are entering a period where citizens will discuss their demands from the municipalities the most. We see this as an opportunity to come together once again and demand what we deserve. We oppose the understanding of municipalism that neglects to provide services to society due to the fight for seats and influence. We do not want to be governed by trustees appointed from the top. We want municipalities that listen to the problems of citizens, work with us, and work for us.”
We call out to all opposition parties and candidates: “The solutions needed for our safety on the streets lie in your hands.”
The SPoD also addressed the opposition parties in the announcement, and the rest of the statement is as follows:
“We won’t keep going on about it further. We will explain more about the potentials that local governments have and question what they have done and what they could have been done. We will shout, ‘Those who are in charge, should do their part so that we can live humanely.’ We will remind mayors and municipal council members of their duties and responsibilities. We will take responsibility in the areas that we live in and make local governments more participatory and create space for LGBTI+ people. We will evaluate the services we received which were granted with our taxes, ask for what we haven’t not receive, demand better, and get more promises from the candidates for equality for LGBTI+ people. As we are doing all these, we, as LGBTI+ people, will create hope for each other and ensure strength for all social groups with whom we walk together.
We call out to all opposition parties and candidates complaining about the authoritarian environment created by the government: The solutions needed for our safety on the streets lie in your hands. Stop complaining, whining, and making excuses; It’s time to start sweeping in front of your own door. Now is the time to use the opportunities available to local governments to improve democracy and human rights and to provide equal services to every citizen, to be more inclusive.
We have a lot of work to do as well as many problems to overcome. But we also know how to address the solution. During and after the local election process, we declare that the Municipality got this! Stay tuned for more.”
Tags: human rights
