News Center- Women journalists in Mersin held a press conference at the headquarters of the Human Rights Association (IHD), announcing that they have established the “Women Journalists’ Association”. “Women journalists are forced to work more than 45 hours a week for low wages. They are deprived of many of their rights,” journalist Gamze Şimşek said at the press conference.

‘Women are more likely to suffer from occupational diseases’

“In these days when patriarchy surrounds our lives like a net, turns every sphere of our lives into hell, we turn our every breath into a struggle against the rights violations, censorship, low wages and long working hours,” Gamze Şimşek said, stressing that women are more likely to suffer from occupational diseases. “Women are underrepresented at all levels of decision-making. Although they make more efforts, they are paid less than men.”

‘Women journalists are isolated’

The rate of women journalists, who feel challenged and exhausted is 59% while this rate among male journalists is 26.8%, Gamze Şimşek indicated, saying, “Women face inequalities in the workplace and have to struggle with mobbing. Women journalists have to struggle with the inequalities alone; they are isolated. They are subjected to detention, arrest and being fired for doing journalism."

‘A step to end disorganization’

The Women Journalists’ Association is a step taken by women journalists to end disorganization, to unite against the patriarchal media, Gamze Şimşek emphasized. “The association aims to unite all women journalists to struggle against all kinds of oppression and to say ‘We are stronger together’,” she said, calling on all women journalists in the city to be a member of the association.

“We invite every women journalist to become a member of the association so that we can build the feminist media against the patriarchal media and promote the rights of women and LGBTI+ journalists together.”