“We believe that women's wisdom and creative power is the path of liberation particularly in these days when marginalization and extermination of women are on the rise. We believe that the world order is founded on the labor of women, that women's existence is hidden in the written and oral history, and that that women's conscience can change the existing system.”

DURKET SÜREN

Trabzon- Women have been organizing by forming networks against child abuse, rape, harassment, violence against women, and femicide. Women’s organizations and activists have taken steps by knowing that all existing problems are women’s problems and they have tried to raise awareness of the public. Karadeniz Kadın Dayanışma Derneği (Black Sea Women's Solidarity Association) is one of these organizations. The association was founded in Trabzon in 2008 to contribute to the empowerment of women in many areas of life. In the last years, the association contacted many women and the association has tried to develop solutions to general and local problems by strengthening women in economic, social, cultural, legal, social, and political areas while the rate of violation has been increasing in Turkey. Nilüfer Akgü is one of the volunteers of the association. We talked to her about the problems faced by women, the forms of struggles, and the works carried out by the association.

“We united and founded the association to be visible”

“As women, we made up one half of society but we did not exist in social life, we were deprived of social rights; we weren’t in the streets, politics, decision-making mechanisms, we made up half of society but we were invisible,” Nilüfer Akgün explained how they started to ask themselves to be visible.

“We cannot talk about the women living in Trabzon without talking about all women living in Turkey. We have faced the same things. Men can take a bus and go to different parts of the city to become socialized while women have to stay home, look after children and do housework. Both poverty and deprivation are the problems of women. All problems of society are the problems of women,” Nilüfer Akgün said, “In many neighborhoods of Trabzon, women cannot walk without fear after a certain hour at night.”

Make human life valuable against violence

Nilüfer Akgün talked about issues being discussed in Turkey such as “alimony”, “child abuse” and the abolition of “Istanbul Convention”.

“Discussing on alimony without discussing the poverty produced by inequality will have undesirable consequences. As there are inequalities in the lives of women, women are not equal in labor force participation, and they aren’t included in decision-making mechanisms, discussing alimony is unacceptable.

Another issue is child abuse… The “marry your rapist” bill was once again brought to the agenda of Parliament. The bill was withdrawn after it sparked anger in the society but we always face attempts to reduce the age of marriage to legitimize the child abuse through child marriage.”

Nilüfer Akgün said that they concern about the statements made on the abolition of Istanbul Convention.

Combating violence and discrimination

Akgün stated that as the Black Sea Women's Solidarity Association, they will continue to work on combating violence and discrimination against women, “As we keep working, we also met with other women’s associations and platforms to form networks for showing our solidarity and carrying out a joint actions. We have taken part in many networks consists of Trabzon Women's Platform, Platform Against Sexual Violence, the European Women's Lobby- Coordination of Turkey. I am proud of taking part in “Trabzon Cazıları” a local women's non-governmental organization.  We organized festivals for four years.”