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Women For Peace Initiative
Report on the Process of Resolution 2013
Women’s Approach to the Peace Process -
Suggestions for a Lasting Peace
Summary
The United Nations emphasizes the importance of ensuring the security
of women and children in processes of resolution and peace-making, and it
encourages all member nations to make plans and develop programs in this area.
WFPI has determined that, as of today, Kurdish people in general, and Kurdish
women in particular, have very serious legal, cultural, and economic security
problems in
Kurdish women have made it clear that they feel more safe and confident
in terms of defending themselves both against men and against security forces
in areas where women guerrillas are present. In a similar fashion, women are
also able to defend themselves in many arenas in areas where the Democratic
Free Women’s Movement is strong. Due all of these reasons, it is necessary to
act in collaboration with the Kurdish Women’s Movement in all plans and
programs attempting ensure women’s security, and to invest in policies that
shall further strengthen and empower this movement.
Conclusion
This report is comprised of the Women for Peace Initiative’s
findings resulting from the contacts it established and observations it made
between May 2013 and January 2014. A couple serious disappointments with
regards to the process of resolution were experienced while the Initiative was
carrying out its activities and writing this report. While these were taking
place, the women in the Initiative were worried just like all other women, they
were witness to the anxieties surrounding the possibility of the dissolution of
the process, and to the desire for it to work. First and foremost amongst these
disappointments came the wall that is being erected between Nusaybin and
Rojava, and the killing of three people during a popular protest against the
destruction of the graves of guerilla fighters. What has become apparent is
that Kurdish women have been proven right in all the worries and apprehensions
they voiced throughout the process of resolution. The process is now at a
standstill, but the hope for peace is still not lost. Desire and hope are not
sufficient, however, when comes to reaching a resolution or building peace.
The “democratization package” that was publicly announced by
Prime Minister Erdoğan on September 30th, 2013 and that was then sent to
the Parliament on the 6th of December 2013, has still not passed into law.
Moreover, this package does not contain what the state must do in order to make
a resolution possible. The Constitutional Negotiation Commission declared that
it put an end to its work on the 26th of December 2013. No steps have been
taken to release those who are imprisoned as part of the KCK court case, or to
shed light on the Roboski massacre. All requests made for the release of the
Members of Parliament from the BDP citing precedents were denied. These MPs
were only released after individually applying to the
The AKP government has increasingly continued to implement its policies
that futher deepen already existing inequalities between men and women
throughout the process of resolution as well. Its political approach involves
attempting to build a hierarchy amongst women based on binaries such as
married and single, those who have children and those who do not, those who
wear the hijab and those who do not, legitimate and illegitimate, etc. Through
its policies that consider women invisible and non-existent in any area other
than the family, AKP has continued this invasion by the state into women’s
bodies and their labour. Along with the language and politics of war, male
violence against women has also continued its growth. The budget for 2014 was
approved on the 20th of December 2013. The highest portion in the budget has
been set aside once again for security expenses. While there are only 120
women’s shelters in
The changing agenda in
As has been mentioned numerous times above, WFPI believes that
the conditions for making the process fair, just and sustainable include forming
a legal framework, and including women in the process in an equal manner, as
parties, observers and negotiators. Furthermore, WFPI’s research, observations
and meetings demonstrate that the peace process can only progress if a
constitution with equal participation is created, the truths of war are
uncovered, and security sector reforms that are human-based rather than
state-based are implemented.
A decision must be made to ensure gender equality in the
constitution and in all documents that shall emerge throughout the process. All
effects the war has had on women, whether directly or indirectly, must be exposed.
The perpetrators of violations of human rights during the war must be put on
trial. And finally, a new security perspective must be institutionalized. This
form of security must enable women to take full advantage of their right to
life and to travel freely as well as to establish their social, political and
economic freedom. All of these are also part of the UN Resolution No.1325.
The only way peace will become lasting and sustainable is if all
oppressed and excluded portions of society are included in this process of re
organizing the social contract. Thus, WFPI emphasizes the need for a supra-party
body where women from all backgrounds come together to work for peace. WFPI
also insists that this body must produce a national plan for resolution.
Through its own work, the Women for Peace Initiative has been able to
demonstrate time and time again that in organizations where women come together
and share their own truths freely, they can indeed find common ground and work
towards a resolution, while simultaneously voicing their very realistic and
concrete demands.
The Women for Peace Initiative shall continue to work in order to
transform the process of resolution into a peace that will ensure the equal
participation of women in social life.
25 January 2014
Women for Peace Initiative
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