ISTANBUL - Stating that they still did not receive a response to the application made to the Ministry and YSK on March 21 regarding the situation of women in shelters, Purple Roof Women's Shelter Foundation volunteer Zeynep Ekin Aklar said: "The regulation of the YSK remained technical."

 

Women who had to stay in shelters due to male violence will not be able to vote in the 14 May elections. In the last March 31, 2019 Local Elections, approximately 30 thousand women who stayed in shelters could not go to the polls. While women could not participate in the elections because their addresses were hidden due to security concerns, this problem of women was once again ignored in the Election Law amendment, which was submitted to the Parliament by the AKP and MHP and was accepted on March 31, 2022. Purple Roof volunteer Zeynep Ekin Aklar evaluated the decision of the YSK and the situation of women in shelters.

 

YSK DOES NOT RESPONSE

 

Stating that, as in other elections, they applied to the Ministry of Family and Social Services and the YSK to inform them about the situation of women in shelters for these elections on March 21, but the YSK did not get back to them, Aklar said: "The YSK's decision on March 19. The decision seen by the whole public and shown as a reference is itself a decision that does not answer our questions. We still have not received a response to our application to the YSK about obtaining information.”

 

YSK DECISION IS TECHNICAL

 

Pointing out that there was no emphasis on "shelters" in the YSK decision, Aklar said: "Yes, there is a regulation in terms of women's voting, but we do not deal with the issue only with its technical aspect. The YSK defines whether or not the names are clearly written on the election lists through ballot box security. What kind of security measures will be taken so that women who want to be protected from violence and do not want to come face to face with their perpetrators again, how to ensure their transportation, how to ensure inter-institutional coordination so that they do not come face to face with the perpetrator, Violence Prevention and Monitoring Center (ŞÖNİM), district election board It is not clearly stated what measures to take for this. It is not clearly stated what measures it will take. This is seen as a fundamental deficiency. This regulation does not meet the overall security needs of women in terms of its consequences."

 

WOMEN ARE NOT SAFE

 

Aklar said: "Women who had to migrate from the earthquake area have the obligation to prove their place of residence with their electricity bill without providing any additional documents at their new address of residence. There is a need for regular coordination between different public institutions such as ŞÖNİM, population directorates, and police departments. Unless these are provided, we cannot talk about safe voting by women.”

 

MA / Esra Solin Dal