ANKARA – HDP's Women MPs  met with European women politicians, including Council of Europe Equality and Prevention of Discrimination Commission (PACE) President Petra Bayer, in an online meeting and discussed the withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention.

 

The diplomatic contacts of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) regarding the withdrawal of AKP's Chair Tayyip Erdoğan with a single signature, continues. HDP's women MPs had an online meeting with Petra Bayer, President of the Council of Europe Equality and Prevention of Discrimination (PACE), European Socialists Party (PES) Woman's Spokesperson Zita Gurmai, Swedish Left Party Deputy Women's Equality Commissioner Jallow Malcolm, Vice President of the European Socialists Party Katrine Skov and European Socialists Party Local Government Member Sanchia Alasia.

 

HDP Women's Council Spokesperson Ayşe Acar Başaran, Women's Diplomacy Commission Spokesperson and Middle East Desk Co-Spokesperson Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, Foreign Relations Commission Co-Spokesperson Feleknas Uca, some female parliamentarians from the HDP, and members of the Women's Assembly, Rosa Women's Association members and TJA activists also attended the meeting.

 

Speaking at the meeting, Women's Council spokeswoman Ayse Acer Basaran, told that tge fact that Turkey has not withdrawn from the Istanbul Convention can not be discussed independently from the increasing misogynistic politicies in the world.

 

'WE CAN MAKE THEM STEP BACK'

 

Emphasizing that it is more important than ever for women to act together against the policies targeting them, Başaran said, “Taking a clearer attitude can make the government take a step back regarding the Istanbul Convention”.

 

Adalet Kaya, a member of Rosa Women's Association, emphasized that the Istanbul Convention, which Turkey wihtdrew from under conditions where violence against women has increased intensely in the last 5 years, is very important in terms of reminding the government of its obligations.

 

Ankara MP Filiz Kerestecioğlu, who gave information about women's work in the Parliament, said, "We women are not withdrawn from the Istanbul Convention, only Erdogan has withdrawn."

 

GURMAI: THIS WITHDRAWAL IS VERY CONCERNING

 

Stating that they are in solidarity with the women in Turkey, the European Socialists Party (PES) Women's spokeswoman Zita Gurmai said: "The decision to withdraw from the İstanbul Convention is concerning for all the women in the world."

 

PACE President  Petra Bayer said, "If Turkey wants to become a member of the European Union, it can not withdraw from the İstanbul Convention, or ban a party that has millions of voters." 

 

Underlining that there are a few European countries that plan to withdraw from the convention after Turkey, the women said that women will fight against the policies that targets women together.