Women marched in Amed and Dersim

Women in Northern Kurdistan were in the areas to mark 25 November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Women took to the streets in Amed and Dersim to mark 15 November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. 

AMED

Rosa Women's Association organised an event together with the Violence and Combating Network and the Tigris Amed Women's Platform (DAKAP).

Women marching from different parts of the city joined at Yenişehir ilçesi Ofis Junction. The women were wearing traditional clothes.

Democratic Society Congress (DTK) co-chair and People's Democratic Party (HDP) Hakkari MP Leyla Güven, Amed MP Saliha Aydeniz, TJA activist Ayşe Gökhan, Ayla Akat, HDP district municipal co-mayors as well as provincial and district executives women joined the march.

The women ended their marches in Istasyon Square where they read a statement about the importance of 25 November.

Bedriye Aydın, the founding member of the Rosa Women's Association addressed the crowd. "What needs to be discussed are effective methods of combating early and forced marriages. What needs to be discussed is how violence against women and children are actually reported in the media."

GÜVEN: WE SAY NO TO A LIFE FULL OF MURDERS

After Aydın, HDP Hakkari MP Leyla Güven gave a short speech. Stating that women were murdered in many cities every day, Güven added that women's murders are political and said: "The AKP and MHP alliance carried this mentality to the top. We do not accept this life full of murders. Women are killed in wars."

The HDP Hakkari MP also underlined the resistance in Rojava and the women struggle against  ISIS.

DERSIM

Women in Dersim joined the press conference organised by the Dersim Women's Platform on Seyit Rıza Square.

Dersim Women's Platform member Sukran Yilmaz read the statement reminding that almost two women a day are murdered and that the killers are usually men very close to their victims.

Dersim Municipality Women's Assembly and Gender Equality Commission also decided to give one-day menstrual leave to female employees. The Commission decided that women should use the 'menstrual' leave on a day designated by them. The decision was adopted by the city council.