Awareness Action Against Violence by PERGEL Member Women

Members of the (PERGEL) project, created by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality for female employees, came together to react to violence against women and femicide. PERGEL member lawyer Özlem Durmaz stated that all forms of gender-based violence are a serious violation of human rights and that they will fight until the end.

Members of the Personnel Development (PERGEL) project developed by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality for female employees gathered in front of the Kulturpark Basmane gate to draw attention to the violence experienced by women. Protesting the increasing femicide and male violence, women chanted slogans such as "You will never walk alone", "We are not silent, we are not afraid, we are not obeying", "Scream, let everyone hear, end male violence". PERGEL member lawyer Özlem Durmaz said that all forms of gender-based violence are a grave violation of human rights and said, “Women are exposed to violence every day because the lifestyle of women is judged, not the perpetrator of violence. Women are killed every day because violence goes unpunished. "There is no end to the massacre of women, as even the existing legal regulations are being withdrawn instead of taking and implementing appropriate measures to end the male-dominated mentality and gender-based discrimination," she said.

“We believe in a beautiful future”

Özlem Durmaz, who said that ESHOT driver Burçin Akça, who was battered on the job on July 24 in İzmir, was also attacked just because she was a woman, and said, “As İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, they are involved in all kinds of struggles to ensure gender equality, and on this path with the PERGEL project. We are walking with our female colleagues. We think together, we produce together”. Özlem Durmaz concluded her words by saying, “The Istanbul Convention keeps us alive”.

Awareness tour against violence in Izmir

After the press release, an awareness tour was held to end violence against women and femicides. The women, dressed with the inscription "Only the wind blows violently in our city", took the open-top bus from Basmane to the tour, followed by Konak, Fahrettin Altay, Alsancak and KarşıyakaHe passed through.