Ministers and senior figures mark Women’s Day

MINISTERS and senior figures issued statements to mark Monday’s International Women’s Day.

Labour and Social Security Minister Koral Çağman said in a written statement that he wants to see “solid actions come to life” not just “fancy sentences for our women for one day”.

Mr Çağman said that he has seen his ministry “serve women from all ages and segments [of society], mainly women who have been subjected to violence, women who work, pay their social security, have a work permit, are entrepreneurs, are disabled, are unionised or experience economic difficulty, since the day I took the office”.

He continued: “The ministry closely knows the problems our women experience – not only for one day – and follows them in every process. As the relevant minister, I want to take solid steps that touch on women’s problems and make solutions on March 8, instead of saying the usual fancy sentences.

“Our ministry will work with all its power to bring solid steps to life. I want to discuss what we can do and contribute to the relevant non-governmental organisations, local government, universities, the police and public institutions, to see goals and plans put into effect, rather than in texts.

“To make female workers meet rights and freedoms in their working lives on the basis of equality of opportunity, to support female employment and female entrepreneurs, to prevent violence against women, to support women who face violence and to take sustainable steps in this topic within the year of 2021.

“With these ideas, with the wish of an egalitarian, democratic society where women have easy access to basic services such as education, health, social security, increased opportunities to participate in the management and their contribution to the development process, I congratulate all our women on March 8.”

The head of the Cyprus Turkish Bar Association, Hasan Esendağlı, said in a press release to mark the occasion: “Today it seems that, even though it’s hard to, problems such as gender inequality, discrimination against women and violence are understood.

“The baseless belief that ‘no such thing occurs in the Turkish Cypriot community’ has been destroyed . . . in recent years, when the frequency of events disclosed is taken into account.

“Yes, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is a problematic place in terms of women’s rights violations, gender inequality and violence. It is now necessary to raise firm and persistent pressure to ensure that genuine action is taken for a solution, beyond simply ensuring that these problems are recognised.

“This is a really important and delayed debt of progressive people, professional organisations, NGOs and political parties.

“This is because the TRNC government is displaying the same unwillingness it did for the recognition of these problems before, for the real implementation of the figurative steps taken as solutions within the current period.”

While international conventions against discrimination and violence against women were adopted by the TRNC Parliament in 1996 and 2011, no progress has been made in implementing them, Mr Esendağlı claimed.

Similarly a 2014 law setting up a Gender Equality Department has still not been put into effect, Mr Esendağlı said.

“Realistic, sincere and solutionfocused steps are not taken to eliminate gender discrimination and inequality of opportunity in politics, political parties, public, professional and economic activities, professional organisations, and at home, that is,

“Despite the establishment of an anti-violence within dents in all areas of the violence of police, life,” against could he increasing inci- continued women unit not be pregenuine vented. legal “A aid comprehensive mechanism has not been and established for women who are subose jected to violence and whose coto nomic power is not suitable to benefit from the services of a lawyer

“The Union of Bar Associations has been trying to make up for this deficiency in the protocol it has made with the Labour and Social Security Ministry for over two years with the services provided by volunteer lawyers for very small fees . Despite the narrow definition of eligibility, 100 women have benefit ed from this.”

Deputy Prime Minister Erhan Arıklı – who was condemned in a protest for his conduct to wards a female TV show host two weeks ago – issued a more “traditional” International

Women’s Day statement in which he celebrated the “day of all our devoted mothers and women”.

“March 8 is the day of pride for our women, who represent heroism and sensitivity, and sacrifice with their existence, symbolising love and endless mercy,” he said.

“Women are an integral part of social and economic life and the basic element of the family, which constitutes the smallest unit of society.

“Our religion also attaches great importance to our mothers and women. Our Prophet Muhammad revealed in a Hadith the value given to our women exactly 1,500 years ago by saying ‘Heaven is under the feet of mothers’.

“I celebrate the March 8 International Women’s Day of the wives and mothers of our martyrs and veterans, all of our devoted mothers and women who support and educate us in every moment of our lives and give the unrequited love and affection in their hearts.”