Women from Bağıvar (Kabi) village in Diyarbakır (Amed) in Turkey have been preparing for 8 March – ‘International Women’s Day’. Jin News interviewed two women from Bağıvar to highlight their views about the significance of International Women’s Day.
Women from all around the world have been preparing to celebrate ‘International Women’s Day’. Many will be taking to the streets or engaging in online events that protest against patriarchy, capitalism, racism, homophobia, and all other forms of oppression. The women from Bağıvar (Kabi) village will also be joining in with actions and protests.
‘Women are oppressed and the only way to end this oppression is through resistance’
Fahriye Uyanık is currently working in three different jobs. In order to make ends meet, she works in agriculture, animal husbandry, and business marketing. In addition to all these difficult tasks, she is also responsible for the housework. “We, as village women, have no day or night time. Agriculture, animal husbandry and also caring for children: we have lots of things to do every day”, she said, summarising her daily life routine. Uyanık shares the view that although women work so significantly in multiple ways and contexts, their labour still remains invisible and unrecognised. She is also angered by femicides that have been taking place in the country in an increasing manner.
“8 March is a day that we, as women, remember our rights. Women are oppressed and the only way to end this oppression is through resistance. That is why I will be in the streets on 8 March”, she said.
‘We will not remain silent about violence anymore’
Saime Yaşar is another woman from Bağıvar village who will join the protests on 8 March. She is also working in both agriculture and animal husbandry, like many other women in the village. “We, as women, should hold each other’s hands and resist. Women are the ones that are exploited the most: women are the ones who suffer the most from poverty. I cannot watch TV anymore, because I am tired of watching the news about women’s killings. That is why ‘8 March’ is very important”, she said.
She thinks joining ‘8 March’ events is a necessity: it is a duty for women. “We are planning to join collectively as women from our village: we will not remain silent about violence anymore, we will support and protect each other”, she said.
