Women Strong Together group has organized many events for International Women’s Day across Turkey. One of members of the group in Izmir, Mehtap Alişan stated that they have made preparation for March 8 despite the uncertain conditions during the Covid-19 Pandemic. We are told, “You cannot raise your voice because of the Covid-19 pandemic” Mehtap said, “It is obvious that they want to push us back, but we never leave spaces, squares and streets empty.”

RÜYA HÜSEYİNOĞLU

İzmir- Women Strong Together group began their works about two years ago. Mehtap Alişan is one of the members of the group saying, “We have no thought of giving up our rights, lives, and gains; we will keep struggling.” Mehtap has actively worked for the Women Strong Together group since the very beginning. We talked to her about the activities of the group and their preparation process for the International Women’s Day.

“The idea to form Women Strong Together emerged after a meeting held in Istanbul. Many women and women’s organizations from many cities of Turkey attended the meeting. After returning from Istanbul, we began to think about how to organize women. For example, I am an independent woman. We wanted to create a space for women to express their ideas better.”

“We understood that we are strong together”

Women Strong Together consists of many independent platforms, organizations, or initiatives. Mehtap said that everyone can freely put forward a suggestion and the suggestions have been discussed collectively. For two years, we have organized protests against femicides and violence against women. We try to change the format of actions, not only issuing a press statement. We try to develop different methods in our actions. Actually, we understood together how we are stronger together.”

“We never leave spaces, squares and streets empty”

The Women Strong Together tried to be the voice of the uninsured and part-time female workers when the coronavirus cases started to be seen in Izmir. Mehtap emphasized that women have been prevented from protesting particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We could take to the streets last year. Then, we have to stay at home due to lockdowns imposed during the pandemic process. Women over the age of 65 and those under 20 couldn’t join our protests due to restrictions. We have faced many challenges to organize actions. The lockdowns are sometimes as if they are only valid for women. We want to show performances but we are told, “You cannot do it due to the pandemic”; we want to make music and sign, but we are told, “You cannot make a sound”. It is obvious that they want to push us back; but we never leave spaces, squares, and streets empty.”

“We have made preparation for March 8 despite the uncertainty conditions”

Mehtap gave information about their program for International Women’s Day. “We have made preparation for March 8 despite the uncertain conditions during the Covid-19 Pandemic. We have prepared a program but we don’t know if we will be allowed. We are preparing a nice dance performance right now. Our aim is to express ourselves through dance performance not press statement. Despite the pandemic, we never stop taking to the streets. We will take to the streets on March 8 again. We want all our female friends and all our sisters to be hand in hand with us because we know that women are strong together!”