MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Amed- On February 6, 2023, two devastating earthquakes, measuring 7.7 and 7.6 magnitudes, struck many cities of Turkey and Syria. Although three months have passed since the earthquakes, the people living in earthquake-affected 11 cities of Turkey still do not have access to clean water. Women are the most affected by the earthquakes. The women, who are subjected to violence in tents, cannot report violence against them or file a divorce because courthouses have been destroyed by the earthquakes. According to the reports, men have killed one woman in Hatay and two women in Malatya since the earthquakes.

The earthquakes have been intensifying women’s workload in tents and everywhere. The safety of women in the tents also raises concern. In tents, women do not feel safe and have privacy. The killing of one woman in Malatya shows that there is no effort to erase this concern. “The women, who are subjected to violence in earthquake-affected cities cannot report violence and this exacerbates gender-based violence,” said psychologist Gökçe Korkmaz. NuJINHA spoke to her about the problems faced by women in earthquake-affected cities.

 Psychologist Gökçe Korkmaz has been carrying out many activities in the earthquake-affected cities through the Feminist Solidarity for Disaster, a feminist group providing support to women affected by February 6 earthquakes.

‘The state has shown its existence by leaving people to hunger and cold’

 “The state has shown its existence by leaving people to hunger and cold in 11 earthquake-affected cities for two months. The lack of support shows that it does not spare any resources for earthquake survivors. Next to us, there is a tent city built by the state; however, the people living there say the state does not meet any of their basic needs there,” Gökçe Korkmaz said, “A building right next to the tent city was pulled down yesterday; however, the safety and health of the people living in the tents was ignored. Even now, there is dust everywhere. There is neglect everywhere. They have resources but they see these areas to make more money. Even the basic needs of the people have not been met yet. There are some NGOs and trade unions such as the Feminist Solidarity for Disaster, The Health and Social Services Workers' Trade Union (SES), Confederation of Public Employees' Trade Unions (KESK) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) do their best to grow solidarity with the earthquake survivors. However, the people need more resources here.”

 Calling on all NGOs and trade unions to be in solidarity with the quake survivors, Gökçe Korkmaz thinks solidarity and unity are very important in such a period.

‘Violence against women has been exacerbated by the earthquakes’

Highlighting that the cases of violence against women and femicide have been increasing since the earthquakes, Gökçe Korkmaz shared her observations in the earthquake-affected cities, saying, “Before the earthquakes, women were subjected to many forms of violence. However, gender-based violence, especially domestic violence, has been exacerbated by the earthquakes. Men use violence against their wives and children because they refuse to experience their grief for their losses and share their feelings. I went to Antakya and I have been here for a while. We have heard many cases of gender-based violence here. However, women victims of violence cannot report these cases because the courthouse and police stations have been destroyed by the earthquakes. Mor Çatı Women's Shelter Foundation has carried out activities to combat gender-based violence in Malatya. However, no state mechanism works. There are police officers and soldiers everywhere; however, all they do is to create more chaos. As women and women’s organizations, we must work together and be in solidarity with women in earthquake-affected cities to combat violence against women.”

‘The earthquakes increase domestic responsibilities’

 “Women in earthquake-affected areas have suffered more than they experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic,” Gökçe Korkmaz said, “The earthquakes increase domestic responsibilities on women. In fact, the earthquakes have been intensifying women’s workload in tents and everywhere. Almost all buildings in the city have been damaged by the earthquakes. People have lost their loved ones. However, women try to rebuild a life for their families instead of experiencing their grief.”

 ‘We must build more equal and free cities’

Gökçe Korkmaz concluded her speech, saying, “We have to rebuild these cities together. We must build more equal and free cities. Women play an important role in rebuilding these cities because they are the ones who renew life.”