MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU                    

Amed – A march will be held in Diyarbakır on April 10 with the motto, “Istanbul Convention keeps alive” led by Free Women’s Movement (TJA) and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Women’s Council. TJA activist Esma Çelik invited all women in Diyarbakır to join the march and she stated that they don’t accept the decision, ignoring women’s achievements.

“The intention is to silence women”

The Istanbul Convention is not a treaty that can be abolished by one man’s decision; Esma Çelik said that the convention protects not just a segment in the country. The ruling party should prevent abusers and rapists but it tries to silence the women, who have struggled, Esma Çelik said, adding, “We observe that a mentality that does not recognize LGBT + people’s right to live is gradually spreading. As it is spreading, withdrawal from the convention will cause an increase in femicides and rape cases. In the following years when the convention was first signed, the number of femicides decreased by half. Women felt safe when they saw the ruling party’s pro-women stance and the preparation for Law No. 6284 (Turkey’s law to Protect Family and Prevent Violence Against Women). However, we all see how the number of femicides is increasing due to the ruling party’s sexist language and its impunity policies towards violence against women.”

“Women’s resistance will determine the next process”

Esma Çelik pointed out that the number of femicides will increase after Turkey’s withdrawal from the treaty, “64% of the victims of femicide were killed in their houses. Women were killed in their “safest” places, in their houses. This happened when the treaty wasn’t abolished but now the treaty is abolished and we know very well that this number will increase more. Two days ago, 22 women, who have struggled for a free life, were detained without any reason. Every morning, we start the day by reading news about the killing of at least three women. We go through the darkness again and again with the news about the children who were abused and raped. That is why the women’s resistance will determine the future. Women's struggle is a universal struggle. All women should struggle for themselves regardless of their religion, race or color.”

“We will not remain silent”

Esma Çelik told us that they will talk to every woman they can on the streets, in the neighborhoods, in houses, or in the parks and invite them to join the march to be held on April 10, “Against femicides, destruction of nature, political genocide and special war policies, all kinds of isolation and rape culture, we say; we don’t accept our achievements to be seized. For days, women take to the streets to protest this decision. They speak out in every area. We will not remain silent; we will not allow the male-dominated state to take our rights. We will take to the streets to say, ‘Istanbul Convention keeps alive’.”