As local elections on March 29 get closer, The Association for the Support and Education of Women Candidates (Ka-Der) Ankara branch director Ilknur Ustun demands establishment of commissions of gender equality in municipalities. "This would help local services to be organized with a focus on gender. The parliament is about to have such a commission and this will make way for local efforts" says Ustun.  

One important aspect of gender-based local services is educating the personnel. "A woman faces male violence and applies to the municipality for support but an uninformed officer may turn her down, seeing the case irrelevant."

Another demand Ustun voices is augmenting and facilitating women's participation in decision-making mechanisms. In return, strategic planning on local level would take women's needs into consideration.  

She points to lack of gender-based statistics regarding urban life. "Necessity questionnaires are directed to the man of the household" says Ustun. "But the needs of men and women differ. A muddy street is just an inconvenience for a man but it's more cleaning for a woman."

Ustun suggested free public transportation would help women to get more involved in daily life and simple street lightings would ensure safety at nighttime. Moreover, local governments have to provide social care services, which would take the burden off women.

In Turkey, all municipalities must establish women's shelters for every 50 000 inhabitants by law but this has not been realized. "The initiative must be taken in hand, and in collaboration with women's rights NGO's this duty must be fulfilled"  says Ustun.(EZÖ/AGÜ)