Duygu Ciniviz 

 

DİYARBAKIR – “Pressures, restrictions, state of emergency and conflict environment have produced militarism. Consequently, violence against women has been increasing as violence against children increases,” said Esin Koman, founding member of the Agenda of the Child Association. 

 

The list of killed children is constantly updated in Turkey. Particularly in Kurdistan, the children have been killed due to armored vehicles and unidentified objects left in clash areas. Moreover, the conclusion of the male-dominant mindset’s impunity policies, the children have been subjected to sexual abuse by men they know or they don’t know even in the safest places. Despite all of these, On November 11, 2016 the Interior Ministry announced that the 370 associations in 39 cities were closed down for three months within the scope of Article 11 of the state of emergency (OHAL). The Agenda of the Child Association was among these associations. The Association’s founding member Esin Koman talked about their uncompleted works after the closure of the association and she said the increasing violence in the society caused heavy rights violations. 

 

The Agenda of the Child Association was founded in Ankara in 2005. Many specialists such as psychologists, lawyers, educators, architects, academicians, publishers, and so on worked in the works of the association. “To make sure every child has a peaceful, good and happy life as rightful, equal, free and honorable individuals” says the association as its purposes. 

 

‘Our works were uncompleted’ 

 

Stating that one of the most recent rights violations by the state of emergency and its decrees is the closure of the Agenda of the Child Association, Esin said “The association was closed down and all our works for children were uncompleted. This situation is a right violation as well as an attack on freedom of expression.” 

 

‘Peace process was stopped’ 

 

Esin recalled that the people have been subjected to rights violations following the stopping of peace process and declaration of the state of emergency declared after the attempted coup on July 15 and the increasing clashes. “In this process, the information we obtain from prisons and the region on children show clearly the right violations. The visits have been stopped. The visits of families and lawyers are limited. The independent monitoring formed by the NGOs was stopped following the declaration of the state of emergency,” said Esin. 

 

Highlighting that the ongoing pressures, restrictions, state of emergency and conflict environment have produced the violence, Esin said this situation produced the militarism. “Consequently, violence against women has been increasing as violence against children increases. Using the children during the July 15 rehearsals is also the elements supporting the violence and militarism. All our works such as Physical Security Project in Schools, Stopping Commercial Sexual Exploitation against Children Project, the Child’s Rights Academy, Right to Life Report of the Children in Turkey, -18 Children's Newspaper and our other works have been left uncompleted.”