The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is set to hold programs entitled "Women Talk About the City" in nine provinces on the occasion of International Women's day on March 8.
The event will be organized in order to listen to the women's expectations ahead of the local elections. The head of AK Party's women's branch, Lütfiye Selva Çam said Tuesday that the program has been so far held in eight provinces and on the occasion of March 8 it will be held in Ankara, Antalya, Giresun, Samsun, Kocaeli, Niğde, Rize, Kastamonu and Hatay. Çam said that women from all walks of life will come together in these meetings and discuss the potentials and problems faced by their regions. She added that AK Party mayoral candidates will take questions from the participants at the meeting and take notes to address the problems in the future. "With this project, the AK Party looks the make women more aware of issues related to their cities and localities," Çam said. She added that the AK Party attaches great importance to the municipalities that put people at the center of their policies. She highlighted that the party is looking to start a new era directly addressing the problems of the people.
The Chairman of the AK Party, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has stressed the need for increasing women's role in politics. Accordingly, the party is looking to do so by drawing attention to women's expectations and demands.
In relation to the "Women Talk About the City" program, Çam said they want to organize the meetings in all 81 provinces. She pointed out that the issues including the zero waste project, support for women's entrepreneurship and safety at children's playgrounds are among the subjects drawing the most attention at the meetings.