MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

 Van- Women of Van will hold many activities for a week to mark the International Women’s Day. On March 8, they will hold a rally in the city to voice their demands. The Free Women’s Movement (Kurdish: Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA) members say women will voice their demands not only on the International Women’s Day but also during Newroz celebrations on March 21 and in the local elections to be held on March 31 in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan.

March 8 is very important for women all over the world, said TJA member Zeynep Kaya. “Kurdish women, who struggle for freedom by chanting the ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadi’ slogan despite the oppression and attacks.” TJA will hold many activities for the IWD and a rally on March 8. “We aim to reach thousands of women by organizing meetings to take back our municipalities from the appointed trustees.”

Women struggle for freedom all around the world, Zeynep Kaya said, “Their struggle becomes stronger and more organized every year. Women in all Kurdish cities also struggle for freedom. Today, women are subjected to many forms of attacks. The cases of violence against women and femicide keep increasing. Many of our friends are behind bars now and women politicians are attacked. In the West, women face obstacles. Despite all the attacks, we never give up.”

Rally on March 8

Speaking about their activities for the IWD, she said, “We will hold different activities in each district. Actually, we began to organize activities on February 26. We will also hold meetings in neighborhoods and villages. We will hold a march to invite women to the final rally. In addition, we will issue press statements against the increase in gender-based violence. Our activities will end after holding a rally on March 8. Then, we will start our activities for Newroz.”

‘Women will take our gains back’

Mentioning the trustees appointed to the Kurdish municipalities, she said, “The appointed trustees first targeted women’s gains. They closed down women’s centers. We will go to the polls on March 31 with the enthusiasm and excitement of International Women’s Day. I call on all women to vote on March 8 so that we will take our gains back. We are determined to take back what we had.”