The Local Administrations’ Women's Commission of the Party of Democratic Regions (DBP) is holding its first conference in Van under the slogan “Let’s communalize our lands, water and energy and build democratic free life”.

Those attending the 2-day conference being held at the Conference Hall of the Edremit municipality include activists of the Democratic and Free Women’s Movement (DOKH), DBP vice co-chair Cimen Isik, DBP Local Administrations’ Women's Commission member Hamide Yuksel, Van Metropolitan City Municipality co-mayor Hatice Coban as well as the co-chairs of city and district branches of DBP and women members of the local councils.

Making the opening speech of the conference, the co-mayor of Van metropolitan City, Hatice Coban, drew attention to the level reached by Kurdish women in social and political life, stressing the importance of the leadership of the Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan to women.

Coban said the Kurdish people now have 15 years of experience in local administrations, adding that Kurdish women had reached an important level in local government. She said that Kurdish women, being aware of their leading role, will wage a struggle for the creation of a moral and political society.

After Coban's speech, the assessment report of the DBP Local Administrations Commissions and reports on the role and mission of women in local administrations were read out. The assessment report drew attention to the fact that the application of the co-presidency system in the local administrations has set an example world-wide, adding that cities will be re-built by the women in a democratic, participatory, ecological way with a view to women’s liberation.

The conference is continuing with discussions and assessments and proposals of the participants.