VAN -“Let’s show that we are here against a system that suppresses our voice and doesn’t want women in life,” said the women of Van who stated that they would vote for the HDP in the upcoming elections.

 

 The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), which published its election manifesto, has emphasized the importance of the equal representation and women's gains in its manifestos. The women of Van stated that they will vote for the HDP for this reason.

 

 ‘We will vote for the HDP against the mindset blocking us’

 

 Recalled that the HDP’s presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtaş is still behind the bars, Pınar Köseoğlu said, “We know the elections will not held under democratic conditions. Despite this, we know our votes will not go for nothing. Because the party which gives more place for women in Parliament is the HDP. We will vote for the HDP against the mindset blocking our achievements.”

 

 ‘The manifesto of the HDP is a response to everyone’

 

 Saying that the AKP has become the main topic of conversation with its gendered discourse for 16 years, Zeynep İşlen continued to speak as follows; “It has a mindset that produces a gendered policy. We say ‘Enough’. We will vote for the HDP against the mindset that doesn’t allow the women even to go out. We don’t want a misogynous mindset anymore. We want a party for women to be free. This party is the HDP and their election manifesto is a response.”

 

 ‘Selahattin Demirtaş should be released immediately’

 

 Seher Dağlı emphasized that they want to speak their native language and go out freely and she added, “I will vote for the HDP. I demand immediate release of Selahattin Demirtaş.”

 

 ‘We are here, we will be here’

 

 Stating that they will work for the elections, Fatma İşlem said, “Let’s stand side by side in order to take our achievements back and to express ourselves in our native language. Let’s show that we are here against the system that doesn’t want the women. We have a ruling party that has tried to suppress our voice for years. Let’s say ‘We are here and we will be here’ to this ruling party with the HDP.”

 

 ‘This system must be changed’

 

Expressing that the existing system must be changed, Müzeyyen Zingür said, “The ruling party has carried out all oppressions for 16 years. They want to discipline the people with hunger. This system must be changed.”