MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

 Amed- Special war policies that started in Kurdish cities especially after 2016, have spread all facets of life. After the local elections took place on March 31, 2024, the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Women’s Council addressed these policies and it is getting ready to neighborhood commissions and city councils to eliminate them.

NuJINHA spoke to Berivan Bahçeci, Spokesperson of DBP Women’s Council, about the neighborhood commissions and city councils to be established in Kurdish cities again. Speaking about the local elections, she said, “We went through an important election process. The Kurdish people gained a victory in the elections by revealing their will. Kurdish women led both this victory and the elections.”

‘We determined a road map’

Indicating that they, as women, came together after this victory and determined a road map, Berivan Bahçeci said, “After the elections, every organization had to go through an evaluation phase. As the DBP Women’s Council, we evaluated ourselves and discussed; as women, we came together and determined a new road map. We discussed the problems faced by women, what women needed in cities and districts and what we had done and what we will do.”

‘The people are determined to protect themselves’

Berivan Bahçeci pointed out that the people used their self-defense following the exposure of special war policies. “The people united against these policies. The resistance of the people revealed the special war policies conducted in Kurdistan. The Kurdish people are determined to protect themselves by announcing that they will not accept any attack against them. What is important is that this society also organizes against these attacks.”

‘We will establish neighborhood commissions’

Berivan Bahçeci said that they were getting ready to establish neighborhood commissions and city councils. “We will come together with women in Şırnak, Van and Urfa to carry out activities. Women will be more active. Both the women of the DBP and our party will intensify their work against these policies. We aim to establish commissions in neighborhoods and councils in cities to eliminate these policies.”

‘We will discuss the demands of women and self-defense’

Berivan Bahçeci called on women to organize themselves against gender-based violence and femicide and concluded her speech saying, “We will organize workshops in every street and house. We will discuss how we should defend ourselves against hostile policies targeting women and what we must do against the increasing violence against women. We will also discuss the demands of women and self-defense in each city. Every Kurdish woman should organize against these policies. We can defend ourselves by uniting.”