Turkey - New Women's Political Party Emerges

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Symbol representing Turkey's newest political party: Kadin Partisi (Women's Party)

By Sarrah Safi - July 18, 2014

A tsunami of domestic abuse cases is flooding the courts in Turkey’s judicial system, with an increasing number of women finding courage to come forth seeking justice against those who inflict violence upon them. Among these women are activists, including those seeking a bigger, better solution to the lack of justice given to female victims.

The in-depth article, “Turkey’s Rampant Domestic Abuse Problem,” published by The Daily Beast, cites various women and their experiences regarding abuse in Turkey.

“In the evenings we listened to the shouts, the cries, the swearing. In the morning we went on with our lives as usual. The entire neighborhood pretended not to have heard, not to have seen,” Turkish author Elif Shafak explains, recalling a past experience.

Though women have gradually been forthcoming about their cases of abuse, perpetrators remain unpunished. This widespread problem in Turkey leaves women with nowhere to turn as security forces become a “boys’ clubs that goes easy on men when it comes to ‘family disputes.'” In other words, Turkish security forces don’t enforce justice on men that decide to abuse women.

KADIN PARTISI - WOMEN'S PARTY

The best way to solve a problem is by tackling it at its roots.

Benal Yazgan has done just that. On June 26, Yazgan and her supporters submitted a petition to the interior ministry requesting the Kadin Partisi (Women’s Party) be recognized as a legitimate political party. Kadin Partisi was founded by a group of women activists (along with two men) to “fight against gender discrimination and inequality in society, as well as discrimination based on religion, language, ethnicity and sexual orientation, and fight against military and civil coups and hate speech.”

The newfound political party will offer Turkish society a chance to equalize representation in its governing body pertaining to the sexes. What does this mean for abused women? Officials that are women. Women fighting for women’s rights. New laws promoting equality. New policies enforcing justice. It is possible that this is just the beginning of a women’s liberation movement in Turkey.

Though Kadin Partisi was founded too late to participate in Turkey’s elections in August, they will be able to participate in parliamentary elections in 2015. That gives them a year to establish themselves and gain enough supporters to win seats in parliament.

However, many steps must be taken by the Kadin Partisi before its goals become a true success. The next step requires the party to establish itself across the country by raising funds for domains and offices as well as growing its member base. That shouldn’t be hard to do as half the population is female, though only time will tell if these women are successful in changing the course of their impaired government – or if their voices will be silenced by the very system that is meant to protect them.