After his closure of all the women institutions under the municipality and firing a large number of female employees, the trustee appointed to the Metropolitan Municipality of Van has now cancelled the free service provided to women Thursdays.
Before the state’s usurpation of Van Metropolitan Municipality from Democratic Regions’ Party (DBP), women were granted free access to public transport on Thursdays. The free service has been annulled now by the state-appointed trustee.
It is well-known that the trustee in Van is an enemy to women, as he had already shut down the ‘Women’s Shelter’, ‘Rojîn Women’s Life Center’, ‘Violence Line’ that provided psychological and social support to women, ‘Department of Women’s Policies’, ‘MAYA Women’s Life Center’ and ‘Women’s Labor Bazaar’ affiliated to the municipality following his appointment.
TRANSPORTATION FOR WOMEN WAS FREE SINCE 2015
On an appeal of Women and Family Services Department, the Public Transport Coordination Center of DBP-held Van Metropolitan Municipality (UKOME) had decided in 2015 to provide free transportation for the people on days of festivities like Mother's Day, International Women’s Day (8th March), International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25th November), Newroz (21st March) and 1st May. Additionally it was decided to grant free transport to women on Thursdays. This positive discrimination, a first put into practice in the Kurdish region, was met by women with great joy.
ANNULLED DURING THE UKOME ASSEMBLY
At the 2nd UKOME meeting in 2017, led by Mustafa Yalçin, the appointed trustee of Van Municipality, the decision to provide free public transport service for women has been annulled. From now on public transport services will be charged for women.
