Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Serra Bucak, attending the event “Women for Strong Cities” organised by the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (TBB), stated that Diyarbakır is one of the exemplary cities with its democracy and women’s struggle.
The event “Women for Strong Cities”, hosted by the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (TBB), was held at the TBB headquarters in Ankara with the participation of women mayors, academics and NGO representatives.
The programme, which began with opening speeches by TBB Secretary General Suat Yıldız and TBB Deputy Secretary General Şengül Altan Arslan, was attended not only by Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Bucak but also by co-mayors of Diyarbakır’s district municipalities.
Co-Mayor Bucak: A Systematic Policy Has Been Pursued
Speaking at the programme, Co-Mayor Bucak stated that Diyarbakır is one of the exemplary cities both for its struggle for democracy and for women’s rights.
Co-Mayor Bucak said:
“We, as activists, academics, feminists, socialists, Turkish women, Kurdish women and women from other communities within women’s solidarity networks, I believe since 2016 have faced the risk of losing our crucial issue of solidarity and moving forward together, and we keep referring back to the past and to nostalgia. This too is a very systematic policy. Perhaps women’s networks are among the least affected by the systematic policies pursued after the 2016 coup attempt. Because I know very well, and all our friends here know very well, how intensively women’s networks came to our cities and our region in the aftermath of the trustee issue following 2016.”
Highlighting the significance of the meeting, Co-Mayor Bucak said:
“This meeting, as with previous gatherings, has once again revealed that these solidarity networks can be rebuilt - networks that extend from the east of Türkiye to the west, and even bring east and west together in order to reach more international women’s networks collectively. It stands here as a responsibility for women, underlining why democratisation in Türkiye is essential.”
‘Crises, Cities and Women: A Liveable World for All of Us’
Following the opening programme, the panel “Crises, Cities and Women: A Liveable World for All of Us” was held, moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr Evren Haspolat, Director of the TBB Municipal Academy. The panel featured Entrepreneur and Politician Gülseren Onanç, Political Scientist and Author Prof. Dr Füsun Üstel, Academic and Anthropologist Prof. Dr Ayşe Gül Altınay, and Chair of the Platform of Women Mayors of Türkiye Nurgül Uçar Aktuğ. The panel addressed the role of women in urban life and their experiences during times of crisis, discussing various dimensions of social transformation.
As part of the event, which continued throughout the day with panels and workshops, solution proposals were developed for equal and inclusive cities, drawing on the experiences of women in local government during periods of crisis.
