DPI Roundtable Women Voicing Peace 5 March 2022

Kadınlar Barışı Anlatıyor, 2022

On October 19 in Diyarbakır, the Democratic Progress Institute (DPI), in association with the Irish Embassy in Ankara and the Diyarbakır Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DTSO)’s Women Council, hosted a Peace Table event titled "Women Voicing Peace." The event's keynote speaker was Monica McWilliams, co-founder of the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition and one of the two women who represented the Northern Irish Women’s Coalition at the multi-party peace talks that led to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Following the screening of the film “Wave Goodbye to the Dinosaurs”, which chronicles the formation of the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition and its contribution to peacebuilding, McWilliams shared her experiences and discussed the role of women in peace processes in Northern Ireland as well as critical issues including inclusivity, pluralism, and mediation, which are crucial to the success of negotiation processes and persuasion of the political elites and various segments of society. The event was an opportunity for the participants to share their own experiences of the peace process in 2013 and reflect on what should be done differently in a possible new process. DPI continues to place a high priority on this issue in its program because it views women's active and meaningful participation in peace making and conflict resolution activities as being essential. This Peace Table is one of several events that are scheduled as part of the Voicing Peace and Fostering Inclusivity in Turkey project, which is funded by the governments of Ireland, Norway and Switzerland.

Barış Yapımında Kadınlar: Politika Yapıcılar, Barışı Koruyucular, Kolaylaştırıcılar ve Arabulucular, 2023

On 23 March 2023 DPI, in association with the Irish Embassy in Ankara, hosted a Peace Table event titled Women in Peace-making: Policymakers, Peacekeepers, Facilitators, and Mediators. The event's goal was to bring together a diverse group of women, notably, elected representatives, politicians, academics, and civil society members representing the broad spectrum of political affiliations in Turkey. The event's keynote speaker was Avila Kilmurray, co-founder of the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition (NIWC) which took part in the multi-party peace talks that led to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Avila shared her experiences with the audience and discussed the role of women in peace processes in Northern Ireland as well as critical issues including the need for a baseline of values and collective leadership as well as the importance of framing the narrative of a peace process positively. The meeting brought together a diverse group of women, as well as political and civil society actors from the region and represented the broad spectrum of different political affiliations in the south and southeast of Turkey. The group included members of political parties, representatives of embassies, lawyers, journalists, and academics. The event brought together new participants, as well as some attendees from past events to ensure the continuity of knowledge and trust-building. This Peace Table is one of several events that are scheduled as part of the Voicing Peace and Fostering Inclusivity in Turkey project, which is funded by the governments of Ireland, Norway, and Switzerland.

Gençler Barışı Anlatıyor, 2022

On 17 October in Istanbul, Democratic Progress Institute (DPI), in association with the Irish Embassy in Ankara and Istanbul Bilgi University Centre for Conflict Resolution Studies and Research (CCR), hosted a Peace Table discussion titled “Youth Voicing Peace.” The event started with the screening of the film Wave Goodbye to Dinosaurs, which chronicles the formation of the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition (NIWC) and its contribution to peacebuilding. The event’s keynote speaker was Monica McWilliams, co-founder of the NIWC and one of the two women who represented the NIWC at the multi-party peace talks. McWilliams shared her experiences and discussed the role of women and youth in peace processes as well as critical issues including inclusivity, pluralism, and mediation, which are crucial to the success of negotiation processes and persuasion of the political elites and various segments of society. The meeting was important in the context of Turkey because the country has one of the youngest populations in Europe, with about 20 million people in the 15- 29 year old age range, constituting 23.2% of the country’s total population. Numerous generations have been affected by the conflict’s direct and indirect consequences since the 1980s. The Kurdish youth are often referred to as a “generation of war” and are positioned as being opposed to the idea of peace, while the Turkish youth’s viewpoint is assumed to be in accord with the mainstream Turkish perspective regarding the Kurdish issue. According to recent studies, it is observed that the trend towards radicalisation has decreased. There is a much higher interest in civic politics with an emphasis on identity. This roundtable forms part of a larger series of activities planned in the context of the project Forging Pathways to Peace and Democracy in Turkey, supported by the Norwegian, Irish, and Swiss governments.

Çatışma Çözümünde Kadınların Rolü, 2020

On 15th July 2016, a diverse group of women met in Ankara for Democratic Progress Institute’s (DPI) roundtable meeting exploring women’s participation in peace and resolution processes. Despite the extraordinary circumstances of that time, participants were unanimous in their desire to continue with the meeting, which proceeded as planned. Speaking at the time, the women participants said, "The best answer to the coup attempt is to continue to discuss peace." Four years on from that day, on 15th July 2020, DPI once again brought together a diverse group of women from across Turkey’s many constituencies and bridging political divides to participate in a planned online roundtable meeting discussing the role of women in conflict resolution. Participants included elected representatives and members of political parties, heads and representatives of human rights organisations and think tanks, lawyers, businesswomen, media professionals and academics. The overall aim of the roundtable was to provide a much-needed space for a diverse group of Turkish women to engage with and reflect upon the role of women in conflict resolution processes through exposure to examples and experiences of internationally renowned women working in the field. We were delighted to be joined by two speakers who both shared their own experiences of involvement and inclusion of women in peace processes. Rosa Emilia Salamanca, Executive Director of Corporación de Investigación y Acción Social y Económica (CIASE) discussed her role in strengthening the participation of women in the Colombian peace process, from grassroots and civil society initiatives through to formal negotiation processes. Katia Papagianni, Director – Mediation Support and Policy, HD Centre shared with participants her knowledge and expertise of the motivating factors and practices of women contributing to dialogue and resolution processes during the most challenging times. The roundtable forms part of a larger series of activities planned in the context of the project: “Supporting inclusive dialogue at a challenging time in Turkey”, supported by the EU and the Norwegian and Irish governments.

Türkiye'de Barışın Ekonomik Getirileri ve Çatışmanın Maliyeti: Bölgesel Bir Perspektif, 2021

On 29 April, DPI ran a planned online roundtable meeting entitled ‘The dividends of peace and the cost of the conflict in Turkey: A Regional Perspective’, which was held in collaboration with Diyarbakır Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The meeting was the first of the series in 2021 called ‘Mapping dividends of peace in Turkey’, designed to focus on the economic benefits of peace, as well as the direct and indirect effects of peacebuilding on economic growth and stability. The event’s keynote speakers were Bertie Ahern, former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland and Mehmet Kaya, Diyarbakır Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman of the Board. The roundtable discussion offered a platform for participants to discuss the interplay of peace and economy, focusing primarily on the examples of Northern Ireland and Turkey. The online roundtable forms part of a larger series of activities planned in the context of the project: “Forging Pathways to Peace and Democracy in Turkey”, supported by the Norwegian and Irish government.

Türkiye'de Gençlerin Barış Belleği ve Vizyonu, 2021

DPI held an online roundtable entitled ‘Youth’s Peace Memory & Vision in Turkey’ on 23 June 2021. This meeting was part of DPI’s planned series focusing on youth’s understanding and perception of the peace process. Turkey is one of the countries with the highest percentage of young population in the world and Europe. However, since the beginning of armed conflict between PKK and the Turkish state in 1984, several generations have been subjected to both the direct and indirect effects of the conflict. In the light of the principle that youth can play a positive role in the prevention of conflict and peacebuilding in any given country, this series of DPI, titled ‘Youth’s Peace Memory & Vision in Turkey’ aims to understand the youth’s voice regarding peace through their shared and diverse concerns, their perception of peace as well as their expectations of a potential peace process in Turkey. The aims and objectives of this meeting were to discuss the experiences of one of the youngest members of the Wise People Committee, namely Yıldıray Oğur; to provide a platform for young people to discuss their memories, perceptions and visions regarding the previous peace process in Turkey, as well as their different concerns and priorities for peace. The meeting is part of a larger series of activities planned in the context of the project: “Forging Pathways to Peace and Democracy in Turkey”, supported by the Norwegian and Irish government.

Türkiye'de Gençlerin Barış Belleği ve Vizyonu II, 2021

DPI held its first in-person event since the start of the pandemic on September 11 in Istanbul. The roundtable entitled ‘Youth’s Peace Memory & Vision in Turkey II’ was organised in conjunction with the Istanbul Bilgi University Centre for Conflict Resolution Studies and Research (CCR). The event followed DPI’s online roundtable in June 2021, where the focus was youth’s memory of peace in Turkey, allowing participants to share their memories and perceptions of the peace process that took place between 2013-2015. This time the focus was youth's vision of peace, as well as expectations and strategies, highlighting the social, psychological, and economic benefits of peace for the youth The meeting brought together a diverse group of youth participants, figures with diverse professional and political backgrounds from across Turkey. Turkey has one of the highest percentages of young population in the world as the population in the 15-29 age group amounts to 23.2% of the country’s population. 16% of the voters who will vote in the next elections will be young people. Participants discussed how even though the peace process in Turkey is parked, it established peace as a legitimate solution in the minds of the people and created a precedent from which valuable lessons can be learned. Participants also discussed how focusing on the dividends of peace for everyone -unifying young people around the common goal of a better future- could be an effective strategy to increase public support for peace. The event forms part of a larger series of activities planned in the context of the project: “Forging Pathways to Peace and Democracy in Turkey”, supported by the Norwegian, Irish, and Swiss governments.

Bölgesel Perspektiften Barışın Getirileri, 2022

Please find here the report of the DPI Peace Table event which was organised in collaboration with the Diyarbakir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DTSO) and Van Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VANTSO). The Peace Table entitled Dividends of Peace from a Regional Perspective took place from 29-31 July 2022 in Van, Turkey. This was the third meeting of the series entitled "Mapping Dividends of Peace in Turkey" which aims to identify dividends of peace as well as the role that the business community can play as part of possible conflict resolution efforts in Turkey. The keynote speaker, Derek Mooney, a former Irish government advisor who now uses his expertise in communications to consult for various political campaigns, focused on the damaging effects that the conflict has had for businesses on both sides of the border and how arguments centred on the costs of violence should be used to support the resolution of other conflicts. He believed that the economic impacts of peace should be a focal point in garnering support for peace from the public, taking into consideration the positive impacts businesses can bring to peace efforts. The discussions turned to focus on the possible role that business communities in Turkey can play to encourage conflict resolution efforts and the economic benefits that a peace process would bring to the region. He argued that an effective government and legal system were necessary to harness economic growth, citing Turkey and Northern Ireland as examples of where this relationship has been present. During times of peace, both countries have experienced positive economic growth; however, when conflict has reignited, these effects have been reversed. This Peace Table forms part of a larger series of activities planned in the context of the project titled Voicing Peace and Fostering Inclusivity in Turkey, supported by the Irish, Norwegian, and Swiss governments.

Namus Bir Seçim mi?, 2023

Türkiye önümüzdeki günlerde Cumhuriyet tarihinin en önemli seçimine hazırlanıyor. Siyasi bloklar arasındaki tartışma şimdiden sertleşmiş durumda. İktidar ve muhalefet kanadı, söylem üstünlüğünü elde etmek için ciddi bir çaba vermektedir. Partilerin kendi tabanları, muhalif seçmen ve kararsız kitleden oy alabilmesi için, bu üstünlüğe ihtiyacı vardır. Bu çalışma söylem üstünlüğünü elde etmek için, “namus ve seçim/sandık” ilişkisinin nasıl üretildiği verisinin analizine dayanmaktadır. Kadınlar özelinde kullanmaya alışkın olduğumuz namus olgusunun, köklü bir tarihsel ve sosyolojik arka planı vardır. Kavram bu yönüyle siyasi bir etikete de sahiptir. Vatan, sınır, bayrak bu siyasi ilişkiye örnek olarak verilebilir. Sandık güvenliği ve namus arasındaki ilişkinin, seçim döneminde dolaşıma sokulduğunu söyleyebiliriz. Şöyle ki kadının namusunun korunması gibi sandığın güvenliğini sağlamak kritik önemdedir. Çalışmanın örneklemi “Altılı Masa” olarak isim bulan muhalefet partileridir. Bu birlikteliğin, muhalefeti temsil eden blok olması, bu tercihin nedeni olarak belirtilebilir. Bu ittifak kapsamında yer alan Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi, Demokrat parti, Deva, Gelecek ve İyi Parti ve Saadet partisinin twitter hesaplarında ve google aramalarında “namus” kodlu paylaşımlar seçilmiş olup, “seçim” temalı iletilerin söylem analizi yapılmıştır. Çalışma son bir yıllık tarama ile sınırlandırılmıştır. Yapılan taramada CHP, İyi parti, Deva ve Gelecek partisinin seçim ve namus ilişkisi bağlamında, siyasi söyleme başvurdukları görülmüştür. Sandık güvenliği, ittifak, oy verme davranışı, demokrasi, ikinci kez tekrarlanan İstanbul seçimleri, namus ile bağlantılı ele alınmıştır.

CİNSİYETLEŞTİRİLMİŞ SİYASET: TÜRKİYE’DE SİYASETİN CİNSİYETİNE YÖNELİK ALGI VE TUTUMLARA İLİŞKİN BİR ARAŞTIRMA, 2018

İnsanlığın varoluşundan bugüne değin siyasal alanda cinsiyet üzerine çeşitli görüşler ortaya konmuş, siyasete farklı kesimler tarafından farklı cinsiyet özellikleri yüklenmiştir. Her dönem ve her toplumda insan hayatında önemli bir yer kaplayan siyaset önemli bir olgudur. Bu nedenle hayatın her alanını tüm cinsiyetler açısından etkileyen bu olgunun cinsiyet rolleri bağlamındaki algısının incelenmesi gereklidir. Siyasetin etkilerinin cinsiyet rolleri açısından toplumsal bir gerçeği ifade etmesi nedeniyle bu çalışmanın konusu siyasetin cinsiyet algısına odaklanmaktadır. Bu bağlamda belirli değişkenler kullanılarak siyasetin Türkiye'deki cinsiyet algısı hakkındaki mevcut durum analiz edilmeye çalışılmıştır. Siyasetin bir insan olarak tanımlandığında bireyler tarafından algılanışı ve Türkiye'de siyasetin algılanan cinsiyetinin ortaya konması çalışmanın temel amacını oluşturmaktadır. Çalışmada siyaset kişileştirildiğinde bireylerin zihninde hangi cinsiyetin özelliklerinin yer aldığı ortaya konmuştur. Nicel yöntemle gerçekleştirilen çalışmada veriler anket tekniği kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Ankette Sandra L. Bem'in "The Measurement of Psychological Androgyny" (1974) adlı makalesinde geliştirdiği BSRI toplumsal cinsiyet ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Bu ölçek üzerinden siyaset kişileştirilerek siyasetin Türkiyede'ki cinsiyet algısı ölçülmüştür. Siyasetin bireylerin zihnindeki cinsiyet algısını tanımlayan çalışmada, karmaşık psikolojik ve sosyal etmenlerle oluşan siyasal algı ve siyasal tutum kavramları toplumsal cinsiyet rolleri, cinsiyetleştirme ve siyasetin cinsiyetinin insanların zihnindeki algılanışı analiz edilerek konu geniş bir çerçevede tartışılmaktadır.