Attacks on women’s centers and gains…

 

DİYARBAKIR- The appointed trustees, who closed down women’s centers and designed the women's centers to serve their own purposes by changing the content, suspended the works of 43 women’s centers affiliated to DBP-held municipalities.

 

Trustees appointed to the DBP-held municipalities in place of elected mayors closed down the women’s centers affiliated to the municipalities in districts and cities and redesigned the women’s centers to serve their own purposes. Thereby, all women’s institutes and centers for women were closed down and the centers were converted into police stations by special forces. While all women’s gains are being destroyed one by one, lastly the AKP passed the draft bill allowing muftis to perform marriages in the Turkish parliament. As the women’s reaction is increasing, the attacks started in Kurdistan have begun to affect the women in Turkey.

 

A marriage performed at women’s center

 

The appointed trustees, who try to impose ‘acceptable women’ model of the AKP on women in Kurdistan, are using the women’s centers in Cizre and Silopi to build this model. The trustees performed marriage at women’s center and transferred the women’s centers affiliated to municipalities to women’s branch of the AKP. Furthermore, the control of the centers is carried out by police and gendarmeries.

 

Names of women’s centers, whose works were suspended and the implemented practices are as follows:

 

*The trustee appointed to Batman Municipality tied the Directorate of Women’s Policies to Directorate of Social and Administrative Affairs and closed down the Hevi Women’s Workshop and  SELIS Women’s Center founded in 2005 which was providing psychological and legal support for women subjected to violence. The places of some employees were changed and the contents of the women's centers were changed.  The Women’s Sport Center was closed down and the facility was brought into use of man.

 

*Employees of the Directorate of Women’s Policies were dismissed by the emergency decree no.677 and a man was appointed to the Directorate of Combating Violence. Furthermore, the places of some women employees were changed and they have been passivized.

 

* Head of Directorate of Women’s Policies affiliated to Nusaybin Municipality was dismissed and Gulşilav Women’s Center was closed down by the appointed trustee.

 

*The appointed trustee removed the signboard of Nuda Women's Center affiliated to Kızıltepe Municipality and closed down the center. The personnel of the center were fired. The name of the center has been changed to Hanımeli by the trustee.

 

*Personnel of Peljin Women’s Center affiliated to Derik Municipality were dismissed. The trustee closed down the center and canceled the lease contract of its building.

 

* Çiçek Women’s Center affiliated to Dargeçit Municipality was closed down.

 

*The personnel of the Rewşen Women’s Center affiliated to Mazıdağı Municipality were fired by the appointed trustee and the service of the center was suspended.

 

*Trustees were appointed to all municipalities in Van province. Directorate of Women’s Policies of Van Metropolitan Municipality was abolished by the appointed trustee. And the trustee closed down Women’s Shelter that gave support and service to the women face violence. Furthermore, the appointed trustee decided to unseat female bus drivers and assigned them to other departments of the municipality. The trustee said, “Women cannot be drivers”.

 

*The trustee of Edremit Municipality removed the signboard of the Directorate of Women’s Policies and appointed a man to the directorate. Name of Women and Peace Public Parks built by the municipality was changed.

 

*The trustee appointed to Erciş Municipality abolished the Directorate of Women’s Policies and closed down BukaBarane Workshop, one of the important projects in women's works. The projects on women's economic and employment were suspended. Helin Şen Day Care Center founded by Erciş Municipality was closed down.

 

*The trustee appointed to Muradiye Municipality suspended the ongoing projects such as Women’s Soup-Kitcken and Women’s Toil & Market.

 

*The trustee appointed to İpekyolu Municipality closed down the Directorate of Women’s Policies and suspended the projects and service of the Maya Women’s Center. The trustee seized the phone of combating violence unit. Name of Shengal Women’s Park that opened to commemorate killed and abducted Ezidi women by Daesh changed to Women’s Park.

 

* Xeyri Şinik Day Care Center founded by Gürpınar Municipality in Van province was closed down by the appointed trustee and the building of the center was transfered to Provincial Directorate of Religious Affairs to be turned into a Quran Teaching Center for children.

 

*The trustee appointed to Şırnak Municipality closed down Zahide Women’s Center and Cudi Cultural Center.

 

*The trustee appointed to Cizre Municipality abolished the Directorate of Women’s Policies and closed down Sitiya Zin Women’s Consultancy Center. The police seized files of women which include sensitive information.

 

*The personnel of the Directorate of Women’s Policies, new department within the municipal administrative bodies, were dismissed by emergency decree. The appointed trustee transferred Berfin Women’s Center functioning within the municipal administration to Provincial Cultural Directorate.

 

*The trustee appointed to Halfeti Municipality in Urfa fired the women working for the Women’s Center affiliated to the municipality.

 

* The trustee appointed to Doğubayazıt Municipality closed down Ayşenur Zarakolu Health Center, Sema Yüce Women’s Solidarity Center, Laundry House and Day Care Center functioning within the municipality.

 

*The trustee appointed to Akdeniz Municipality in Mersin province closed down İştar Women’s Center and transferred the building of the center to the Ministry of Family and Social Policies.

 

*The trustee closed down the Directorate of Women’s Policies functioning within Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality.

 

*The trustee appointed to Bismil Municipality has converted the Nujin Women’s Center into marriage office.

 

* The activities of 10 women's centers in Diyarbakır were completely suspended.

 

As the attacks of appointed trustees on women’s institutes continue, the resistance of jailed women co-mayors continues in prisons.

 

 

Notes: OHAL: State of Emergency; KHK: Statutory Decree; Trustees: The State Commissioners

 

 

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