DİYARBAKIR - One of the women who evaluated the workshop titled ‘’The Role of Local Administrations in the Women’s Struggle’’, HDP Democratic Local Administrations Board Co-spokesperson Hediye Karaaslan drew attention to the fact that the HDP created an alternative to the local administration policies of the government.

 

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Women’s Council Democratic Local Administrations Board held a workshop in Diyarbakır on August 14 under the title ‘’The Role of Local Administrations in the Women’s Struggle’’. In the workshop attended by many women, the methods of struggle in local administrations were discussed with a woman point of view against the masculine administration and rent policies that the government is trying to create. The politicians who attended the workshop evaluated the discussions. 

 

‘We will develop a management from a woman point of view’

 

Expressing that they held their first workshop as the HDP Democratic Local Administrations Board, Council Co-spokesperson Hediye Karaaslan said: ‘’It is a workshop where we discuss the connection between local administrations and women’s struggle. Afterwards, there will be a workshop with the participation of different circles on the questions of what women’s libertarian local administrations are and what they are not. In preparation for the conference, we will hold meetings with women activists and elected women in four regions. We will hold a local administration women’s conference and a general conference in Ankara. From our point of view, this process is a resistance against fascism by the AKP-MHP government in the field of local administrations. We are working on what kind of struggle method will be developed with a woman point of view and what we will do.”

 

‘HDP created an alternative to local administration’

 

Referring to the local government policies of the government with the words ‘’There is a perception of governing the local administration with only a masculine administration thought’’, Hediye underlined that HDP has created an alternative to these existing policies. Hediye said: “Especially the fight against violence against women, women’s gains, such as a lot of topics created a practicality can be listed. It created the understanding of management and municipality, which we will call the women’s system. The governments are in a serious attack against the creations of women. We are waging an ideological struggle and trying to institutionalize it.’’

 

‘Our struggle will continue’

 

Drawing attention to the AKP-MHP government's attacks on co-chairship and local administrations, Hediye said: ‘’The desire and will of the society to govern itself will continue. Local governments have a political history that started in 1999 with the Kurdish political movement. There is a local administration struggle against the masculine administration and rent that the government is trying to create. Huge attacks are carried out to prevent gains. Women continue their struggle in the field of local administrations as in every field.’’

 

‘Women democratized local administration’

 

Muş Bulanık Municipality Co-Mayor Eylem Saruca stated that the HDP’s extensification of the co-chairship model has enabled women to participate in social life despite the fact that the government has made the policies of closing women inside as tradition. Hediye continued: ‘’The participation of women in social life, local administrations and municipalities has made a great contribution to changing society. The increase in the number of women in local administrations contributed to the democratization of local governments and the understanding of sociable municipality. It has enabled the municipality to have a democratic mentality rather than a masculine mentality. The Kurdish women’s movement came from great difficulties and achieved great gains. Local administrations are one of these gains.’’

 

‘We have seen the effect of women’s struggle in the municipal administration’

 

Noting that they came together at the workshop on the women’s struggle and the role of women in local governments, Ağrı Patnos Municipality Co-Mayor Müşerref Geçer underlined the success of the women’s struggle in local administrations. Müşerref said: ‘’We realized how effective the co-chairship system and the women’s struggle are in the administration of Patnos Municipality in order to eliminate the masculine mentality and transition to a democratic administration. It is very important for women to be in management. We will continue our struggle against the masculine mentality that the government wants to create.’’