In July, women in the Middle East came together in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, to discuss their problems, regional problems, and common solutions for women during the 2^nd MENA Women’s Conference. We spoke to author and translator Kayuş Çalıkman Gavrilof about the women’s conference the women's issue in her country and women's search for a common struggle.

TEWAR PÊNCWÊNÎ

Beirut- The 2^nd Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Women's Conference was held in Beirut with the motto, “We will carry out the democratic revolution with women’s unity” between 30 and 31 July. Women from all countries of the Middle East came together for the conference to discuss their problems, regional problems, and common solutions for women. 100 delegates from 18 countries attended the conference while 30 women attended the conference via Zoom. Author and translator Kayuş Çalıkman Gavrilof also attended the conference from Turkey. We spoke to her during the conference. “I care about the conference very much and I am excited about it,” Kayuş Çalıkman Gavrilof evaluated both the conference and the women's struggle in her country and the role of women in the political atmosphere in Turkey.

Armenians, one of the ancient peoples of the Middle East, were also represented at 2^nd MENA Women's Conference. Women made important decisions for their lives and organizations at the conference. Author and translator Kayuş Çalıkman Gavrilof underlined that she attended the conference from Turkey and said:

“I attend the conference from Turkey. In Turkey where I live, the government is getting tougher and I don't even want to call it fascist, but I have to use fascist because I can't find any other words to describe it. Turkey is using fascist methods now. And this causes us to live in increasingly difficult conditions. We are barely breathing in the country now.”

Stating that the current ruling party in Turkey is living on borrowed time, Kayuş Çalıkman Gavrilof underlined that the government is trying to pull everything down with it, “It is like a fruit falls after completing its ripening. The government itself is aware of this. It holds while falling and tries to pull everything down with it. Unfortunately, it wants to destroy everything. We are in such a situation in our country now.”

“The circle is getting smaller”

Talking about the growing nationalist and monist wave, Kayuş Çalıkman Gavrilof said, “The ruling party becomes more nationalist to change the target and this causes many problems in Turkey, where many nations live together. I can become a target today but tomorrow you will be the target. The circle is getting smaller. Women have a very important role in such times. I care a lot about women's struggles. The Kurdish women's movement in the country is very, very strong while most of the feminists and feminist movements cannot raise their voice as strong as the Kurdish women's organizations.”

Highlighting that the Kurdish women's movement can include and lead all women living in Turkey, Kayuş Çalıkman Gavrilof said, “I wish the Kurdish women's movement was like an umbrella movement and could gather all women's movements under its colorful umbrella and the voice of this women’s movement became stronger in Turkey…”

“As Armenian women, we have learned a lot”

Noting that the movements of women and feminists in Turkey gained great momentum in the 1970s and 1980s, but they step back today, Kayuş Çalıkman Gavrilof emphasized, “I really care about the waving formed by the second-wave feminism in Turkey. The feminist movements in the 1970s and 1980s have a very important role in today’s movements. But as Armenian women, we have learned a lot from the Kurdish women's movement. I think women must form a common network to know each other, work and struggle together despite their differences.”

Stating that she was very happy to see women of the Middle East to come together, Kayuş Çalıkman Gavrilof believes that “Liberation can be achieved with women’s liberation.”