The “50/50 equality” campaign demanding equal representation for women in the decision mechanisms begins tomorrow in Ankara with a press meeting.

The European Women’s Lobby  (EWL) says, “In 2008, 82 percent of the parliamentary seats in the world and 77 percent of the seats in Europe were grabbed by men. There will be elections in 2009 for a new European Parliament and a new European Commission will be determined. Those elected or assigned will determine Europe’s future. The 50/50 in Democracy campaign sets women-men equality in politics as its target.”

The EWL is conducting the Turkish leg of the campaign through the Association For The Support And Training Of Female Candidates For Parliament (KA-DER), one of its 82 organizations.

In the Turkish Parliament, only 9.1 percent of the deputies are women

According to the data of the Turkish Statistics Institution (TÜİK), the women representation in the Turkish Parliament (TBMM) showed no consistent development between 1937 and 2007. The 4.5 percent of 1935 was 0.6 percent by 1950. It was back to 1.8 in 1965. The figure was finally 4.2 in 1999 and 4.4 in 2002. In the last election of July 22, it reached its highest level of 9.1% in the history of Turkey.

Women in the results of the local elections

According to the results of the 2004 local elections, the proportion of the women elected to be mayors and members in the local assemblies were 2.32 percent and 1.75 percent, respectively.

The proportion of the women mayors is just 0.56, almost zero, right before the local elections of 2009.

Tomorrow’s meeting in Ankara will take place at Kavaklıdere Sheraton Hotel at 10 in the morning. (EZÖ/EÜ)