March 8, 2014
Press Release
As women striving for gender equality, and as a women's organization, we have completed last year with serious contradictions. On the one hand, we have witnessed some legal improvements; on the other hand, we have also witnessed the lack of political will to implement these legal changes.
The R.Ç. case ended up with the punishment of both the murderers and instigators, which strengthened the society's sense of justice.
However, at the same time, the de facto abortion ban has led to the murder of three women.
Besides the law implementers who try to prevent the violence against women, we also have to deal with executors who give us advices as such: "Instead of bothering yourself about child marriages, you should deal with women who are still single at their 35 age".
Hundreds of similar examples indicate that, our most important and urgent need is
a resolute political will which fosters gender equality and women's empowerment, and which does not ignore the executors who disobey the law.
It should be remembered that without the empowerment of women, neither the family nor the society could be developed.
Democracy is only possible with gender equality.
In recent years, many taboos have been destroyed, and many people with different religious and ethnic identities have hoped that we are evolving into an equal and fair society. However, in recent months, parallel state, corruption allegations, and the records have led to loss of confidence and despair in the society. We believe that we could only get out of this chaos "with the supremacy of judiciary and separation of power", just like the Prime Minister repeated during the 2007 elections.
Concerning the upcoming local elections, we would like to remind to all candidates the role of local governments on gender equality and the importance of their contribution. Unless women gather themselves independent of their political preferences and their ethnic background, social gender roles and the violence and discrimination resulting from these roles will never end.
We would like to announce our support for women candidates for the upcoming local elections, who would work with women and women's organizations without any political agenda and discrimination in a joint collaborative effort, in order to provide gender equality.
We invite every woman to vote in the local elections by considering their own interests and preferences.
Regards,
KAMER Foundation
