Ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 25 November, Sebahat Tuncel spoke to ANF and said that merely objecting, saying “no,” or gathering on specific days is no longer sufficient. She stressed that it is time to build a far more comprehensive and transformative women’s struggle.
If we cannot change the outcome, we must change our method of struggle
Sebahat Tuncel, a politician and activist with the Free Women’s Movement (TJA), said they are once again marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 25 November amid ongoing femicides.
Tuncel stated that although 25 November generally brings greater visibility to the many forms of violence women face, the overall outcome has not changed. This is precisely why, she stressed, it has become necessary to transform the methods of struggle.
Tuncel underlined that the women’s movement needs a new breath and a more effective approach and said: “Since the day we said that we would no longer carry coffins, we have begun carrying far too many women’s coffins. This is a serious problem. Male domination is deepening its pressure, violence and exploitation over women. This situation makes women’s lives unlivable or takes their lives entirely. At precisely such a moment, as women, we asked ourselves what kind of world we want to live in, and as TJA we underlined the need to organize even more for a society without violence or exploitation, where women can breathe. Because at this stage, merely objecting is not enough, saying ‘no’ is not enough, and gathering only on certain days is not enough. We must work on how we can collectively build a women’s freedom-oriented life against the male-dominated system.”
We must come together and break through the walls
Sebahat Tuncel stated that unless the male-dominated mindset changes, women’s lives will not change either. Tuncel said: “We are confronted with a deeply organized male-dominated mindset. To overcome this mindset, we need much more organizing and far more transformation in mentality. And this change should not only come from women; it must primarily come from men. Stronger initiatives and preventive measures are needed. We need a system, a mindset, a women’s freedom-oriented life that eliminates environments of violence, is based on gender equality, respects women’s labor, and makes women’s invisible labor visible. Male domination is organized in every area of life, in government, in the judiciary, in political parties, and in the sphere of labor. Therefore, to change lives, we must organize more, come together more, and break through those walls. To overcome the walls ahead of us, we need to strengthen women’s freedom. Yes, the struggle we have waged so far is meaningful and important, but above all, we must create far more spaces of freedom; and to achieve this, we need not fragmented efforts but a unified and comprehensive perspective and struggle.”
What we face is not a women’s issue, but a problem of masculinity
Sebahat Tuncel said the women’s movement must develop a perspective capable of confronting every form of violence directed at women and stressed the importance of a struggle that prioritizes transformation across all areas of life, from the sphere of labor to the wider fabric of society.
Tuncel pointed out that six women, three of them children, were killed in a preventable workplace massacre at the Ravive perfume workshop in Dilovası, and noted that this atrocity cannot be separated from the functioning of the male-dominated system.
Tuncel emphasized that male domination establishes a hierarchy over women and continued: “Inequality begins here and deepens from here. Therefore, this must be dismantled. For this reason, the struggle carried out solely by women is not enough. Men must change and transform according to a women’s freedom-oriented perspective. Because the issue we are living through is not a women’s issue, but a problem of masculinity. We must overcome the problem of masculinity. And this can only happen by organizing around women’s demands. A well-organized society can overcome many problems. If you notice, capitalism tries to impose disorganization through its divide, fragment, isolate and rule policy. As women, we need a comprehensive struggle perspective precisely against this policy. The family, society, the male-dominated mindset and politics must change.”
Peace is the fundamental demand of all women
Sebahat Tuncel said they will voice the demand for peace even more strongly in the streets and squares on this year’s 25 November, noting that war is the environment where state violence and male violence reveal themselves most clearly.
Tuncel explained that they have spoken with thousands of women on the issue of peace, and that peace is the fundamental demand of all women. However, she added that the widespread distrust of the government generates deep anxiety among people and this climate of anxiety, prevents society from fully embracing the process.
Tuncel said: “For ten years, the fascism we have been living through has affected the lives of the entire population, not only women. In an environment where freedom of thought and expression has disappeared and the space for political activity has shrunk, there is a profound sense of insecurity. But despite this negative atmosphere, women are not stopping; they continue to raise the call for peace at the forefront. As you know, most recently, as women, we marched to Ankara and expressed our demands in parliament. There is tremendous labor and effort behind this. But ultimately, the state has responsibilities in moving the process forward. Women are fighting for this, and what do they expect in return? They want the Commission to go to Imrali and meet with Mr. Öcalan. They want a peace law, legal arrangements related to the process, to be enacted. Because there is no other condition.”
Legal arrangements that open the path to peace and democracy must be enacted
Sebahat Tuncel noted that although the guerrillas burned their weapons, they did not come to Turkey, because past experience showed they would be arrested. She reminded that two peace groups arrived years ago, and both were imprisoned. This, she said, remains a deeply negative memory in the collective consciousness of the Kurds. Mothers want to embrace their children, but at the moment there is no ground for this to happen. Tuncel pointed out that even the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the Turkish Constitutional Court (TCC) are not being implemented. In such a situation, she said, parliament and its commission must show the necessary will. In a place that represents 90 percent of society, parliament must take initiative to enact the necessary peace legislation. Tuncel said: “In the end, there is a political movement that has dissolved itself and wants to come and participate in democratic politics. But there is no legal framework for this. The failure to implement the law, or to enact legal regulations that would open the path to peace and democracy, is not only an issue for Kurds. Peace, democracy and freedom are not just Kurdish issues; they concern all of Turkey. For example, the trustee regime was first imposed on Kurds. But now it is being applied across the whole of Turkey. Previously, Kurdish politicians were the ones being detained and arrested; today the same lawlessness is being applied to politicians from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) as well. We always warned that if you allow lawlessness somewhere, one day it will come back to you, but at the time, no one paid attention. This is why we all need a comprehensive politics of peace. Do we truly want peace? Do we truly want weapons to be taken out of play? It is not Kurds who will answer this question, it is Turkey.”