ARJÎN DILEK ÖNCEL

Amed - Following Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s call on February 27, the PKK’s decision to end its armed struggle during its 12th Congress, a new phase in the “Peace and Democratic Society Process” was marked by a weapons destruction ceremony on July 11.

A parliamentary commission has been formed as part of the Peace and Democratic Society Process, initiated following a call by Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. The commission held its first meeting on August 5.

The commission consists of 51 members, 21 members from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), 10 from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), four from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), four from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and three from the New Path Party.

There are only nine women members of the commission: four from the AKP, three from the CHP, and two from the DEM Party. The MHP, New Path Party, Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP), Labour Party (EMEP), and Democratic Left Party (DSP) do not have any female members in the commission.

Numan Kurtuluş, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, delivered the opening speech of the commission. The main agenda of the first meeting was to determine the procedures and principles for its activities. The commission established in the Parliament has been officially named the “Commission for National Solidarity, Fraternity and Democracy.”

Rosa Women’s Association President Suzan İşbilen spoke about women’s expectations from the Peace and Democratic Society Process.

Highlighting women’s role in peacebuilding efforts, İşbilen said that women not only struggle for peace but also fight for their existence against the patriarchal mindset.

‘The system built by women in early societies was anti-authoritarian’

Explaining why women are inherently in favor of peace, Suzan İşbilen said:

“Throughout history, it has always been men who have waged wars. You will rarely find a woman starting a war. That’s because the male-dominated mindset approaches society mechanically—viewing it through power and profit, not from a human-centered perspective. Wars continue as long as they serve this mindset’s interests. There is a weapons production market—without wars, where would those weapons be used? How would those who manufacture them profit? Those who produce weapons view them as a source of power, and the more power they accumulate, the more they seek dominance over the world. They see this progression as a tool for establishing authority. Women, who gain nothing from war, do not produce weapons nor seek domination. The system women created in early societies was anti-authoritarian and communal, rooted in gender equality. That’s why women have never been the source of war—they have always opposed it, while continuously fighting for their freedom and identity.”

Women at the forefront of the anti-war movement

Highlighting women’s leading role in the peaceful resolution of the Kurdish issue, Suzan İşbilen recalled the long-standing activism of women in the pursuit of peace.

“Although the government talks about a ‘terror-free Türkiye,’ we do not accept this framing,” İşbilen said. “It is women who are leading what we call the ‘Peace and Democratic Society Process.’ They are working with all their strength to build the kind of grassroots organization that serves as the foundation of a democratic society. Because without organized communities, lasting peace is not possible.”

‘Women’s efforts drive the peace process’

Suzan İşbilen said the peace process “has sparked new hope” and could pave the way for resolving many deep-rooted issues. She emphasized that women seek to emerge from this process with genuine freedom.

“If peace is to be achieved, women want to come out of it liberated,” İşbilen said. “They do not accept the patriarchal mindset that refuses women’s existence. Women want to be economically, intellectually, and personally independent. They want the same rights granted to men.”

İşbilen emphasized that women have long worked toward peace—engaging in dialogue with diverse groups, organizing marches, staging protests, and building grassroots movements. “Women’s efforts are what will drive this process to success,” she added. “For years, the government has sought to render society unresponsive, but women’s activism shattered that silence. If we are discussing this process today, it is because of the struggle women have waged.”

Gender imbalance threatens peace process credibility

Suzan İşbilen highlighted the importance of establishing the commission and holding its first meeting, while criticizing the low representation of women in the commission.

“The commission consists of 51 members, but there are only nine women, which corresponds to just 17.5 percent. This figure should have been 50 percent. Can a peace shaped by a patriarchal mindset truly serve the interests of the people? And will it be effective in silencing the guns? While we remain optimistic about the process, the predominance of men in efforts tied to this hope raises legitimate concerns. We hope our concerns prove unfounded, yet when men—who have ignited wars—dominate a committee discussing peace, it calls the seriousness of that peace into question."

Women’s expectations from the peace process

Suzan İşbilen outlined women’s expectations from the process, emphasizing the urgent need for democratic reforms. She stated, “Legal regulations must be enacted. They speak of a ‘Türkiye without terror.’ However, what they label as ‘terror’ do not arise out of nowhere. It is a result of the unresolved Kurdish issue. It must be understood that this issue cannot be solved without addressing these underlying causes. The Kurds’ rights to their mother tongue, cultural identity, and education rights all need to be guaranteed. This commission must operate with a firm commitment to democracy and equality. This is our expectation. We are concerned that if the underlying causes of past conflicts are not eliminated, any peace built on other grounds will not be sustainable for long.”

“Where gender inequality exists, democracy cannot be truly achieved.”

Suzan İşbilen continued to talk, stating, “When we examine the historical reasons behind the exploitation of women and the rise in violence, we see that they stem from an undemocratic social system.” She emphasized that gender inequality remains one of the main obstacles to democratization.

 “There is a deeply ingrained mindset shaped by the system. It assigns roles to women and men — telling women, ‘You will be a slave,’ and telling men, ‘You will control women.’ This is the social structure we live in. We cannot speak of democracy in a society with such inequality.  The problems of society must be addressed alongside the problems of women. As long as women are not equal and free, and society remains under male dominance, there can be no democracy.”

“There can be no peace within such a flawed understanding of democracy. Women and men are the driving forces of society. If one of these forces is destroying the other, if one is being subjected to annihilation, then peace cannot be achieved between two genders that have become adversaries. These genders must first make peace with each other.”

She concluded her speech, saying, “Throughout history, women have recognized what they were lacking, discovered their strength, and awakened their own consciousness. They are now saying, ‘I will no longer bow to men.’ But men have never gone through such a reckoning. They have always been content with themselves, guarding their comfort zone. Women must persist in transforming men. Today, women no longer conform to roles imposed by society— and unless that transformation takes place, achieving peace between men and women will remain difficult.”