IMM President Ekrem İmamoğlu, spoke at the 'IBB Side by Side-Women Forum' event. Saying, “Those who brought this country into this state owe a great debt and embarrassment to women,” İmamoğlu said, “We will not have a 'Men's Municipality' established in Istanbul again. Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality will be a municipality where women and men equally manage the city, offer opportunities to the city, talk, think and decide together. Those who understand that they cannot turn that municipality back into a 'men's municipality' may be attempting to seize the municipality. But this smiling face is because of my belief in myself and my belief in the 16 million people of this city; We will never give opportunity or passage to that lawlessness,” he said.
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) launched the “IMM by Your Side in Hard Times” campaign, which will be held under a total of 8 themes. Throughout the campaign; Under the headings of “women”, “youth”, “urban poverty”, “old age”, “children”, “disabled”, “burial services” and “library”, all services that facilitate the lives of disadvantaged groups and women will be shared with Istanbul residents. IMM President Ekrem İmamoğlu, within the scope of the campaign, met with women from different segments of society at the event titled “Women's Forum - Conditions of Being a Woman in Turkey” held at Esenler Adem Baştürk Cultural Center. The event, which started with the short play of the Enstitü İSMEK Forum Theater group, continued with an interview in which the participants talked about the difficulties they experienced in their own lives. İmamoğlu, who did not escape the attention that his eyes filled with tears during the narration of some lived stories, gave a speech to hundreds of participants who filled the hall.
“10 IN EVERY 4 WOMEN TURN OFF THE BOILER WHEN LONELY AT HOME”
Stating that they had a good experience, İmamoğlu said, “There were both touches on the difficulties experienced by women and women who shared their experiences and life experiences with us. We also heard the voices that brought a little naturalness to us," he said. Pointing out that there are days when being a woman is more difficult than ever, İmamoğlu emphasized that the crisis is based on the economic crisis. Sharing statistical information about the impact of the economic crisis on women, İmamoğlu said, “For example; almost 10 out of 4 women say they turn off the boiler when they are alone at home. Even here, I hear a crowd of 'Yes' voices. This is a very real situation. For example; 10 out of 4 women prefer not to leave the house in order to make a living, unless there is a very urgent or very important need. It restricts it from your own life. Here again, I see women's voices and women's emotions saying, 'Yes, I do that too', and bellies raising their hands. Example; 100 out of 84 housewives say, 'In the last 6 months, I have not done any shopping for their own house, for their own clothes, for their own needs'. There are women in Istanbul who cannot make this shopping choice for themselves and who do not live life for themselves.”
“THE PEOPLE WHO TURNED THE COUNTRY THROUGH THIS DEPENDS ON WOMEN”
Noting that everyone comes to Istanbul with the dream of being rich, İmamoğlu said, “But unfortunately we are in such a situation in Istanbul. Unfortunately, our country is currently giving a big test about poverty and poverty. Those who made the country this way have great debts and embarrassment to women. We can never remain indifferent to the poverty, violence and discrimination experienced by women. The minds that make women go through all these processes, the administrators who do not use their own powers for women, make life difficult for them and make their lives sometimes unbearable, have a very important debt to the women of this country. “I am claiming that; We are an administration that sees women's needs, women's problems, all kinds of women's economic, sociological and psychological problems and faces problems and takes steps to find solutions to them," said İmamoğlu, "Because I feel embarrassed towards women, the women of this city. I never want, never. If I am involved in a job, an action or a deficiency that will make me feel embarrassed for women, believe me, I will feel embarrassed for my mother, my wife, my daughter and my sister.”
“IF A WOMAN HAS BEEN EQUAL IN A SOCIETY, THAT SOCIETY IS HAPPY”
Expressing that as IMM, they attach special importance to the issue of gender equality and increase the number of women managers and employees to higher levels compared to previous years, İmamoğlu said, “This is actually a mentality issue. If a woman has reached an equal level in a society, that society is happy. It's that clear. Look; There are people who try to explain this with concepts that are tried to be brought down, sometimes with our belief, sometimes with our customs - which is mostly superstition and not true - here. There is no such thing. Of course, motherhood is sacred. But paternity is also sacred. In other words, you cannot suppress women through the concept of motherhood. There is no such thing,” he said. Emphasizing that women should definitely come to the positions they deserve, İmamoğlu said, “I say clearly and clearly: I promise, in the presence of all of you, in Esenler, that I will act and approach this issue with a meticulous attitude and will fight for the equality of women in this society, no matter what my duty is. By the way, especially me and my fellow managers, we are not people who grant rights and opportunities to women; let me tell you. We are doing what is necessary, we are doing what needs to be done in the name of equality.”
“WE SHOULD BE worthy of the VALUES THE REPUBLIC WANTS TO ADD WOMEN”
Emphasizing the importance of the 100th anniversary of the Republic, İmamoğlu said, “The values that this Republic wants to add to women and the rights, laws and freedoms it wants to give to women are important. We have to be worthy of them. We're too late. We must have been in very good shape. We shouldn't be talking about many of these questions today. But hopefully as of this moment, we accept 2023 as a threshold. In the 100th anniversary of our Republic, we must be a determined nation in this regard for the next century, and together we must prepare the days that will create a country where every woman living in this country has equal rights, freedom, freedom and economic opportunities. I hope we will not be ashamed of both this beautiful Republic and our Republic, which we will crown with democracy, its second century and the founder of the Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.”
"WE WILL NEVER GIVE OPPORTUNITIES AND WAY TO LAWNESS"
Saying, "We will not have a 'Men's Municipality' established in Istanbul again," İmamoğlu said in his speech, "Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality will be a municipality where women and men manage the city equally, offer opportunities to the city, talk together, think together and make decisions together. Those who understand that they cannot turn that municipality back into a 'men's municipality' may be attempting to seize the municipality. But this smiling face is because of my belief in myself and my belief in the 16 million people of this city; We will never give opportunity or passage to that lawlessness. Certainly, our homes, our neighborhoods, our families, our city, our country should have a sense of right, law and justice. May Allah protect our country and cities from rulers who lack morals, conscience and justice. Your prayers will be answered. May everything be very good in the centennial year”.
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