CHP Leader and Presidential Candidate Kılıçdaroğlu: "When Women Stand Shoulder to Shoulder, No One Can Stand Between Them"

CHP Chairperson and Presidential Candidate Kılıçdaroğlu:

- "Everywhere we go, women quietly approach me and ask questions about the election. They are very worried; veiled, uncovered, single, married, mothers... It makes no difference. They all have the same concern and cannot understand that basic women's rights are being voted for in an election. They are terrified that their rights are being offered to radical elements as an election favour."

- "Mr. Kemal will never, ever let you lose your gains. Mr. Kemal will never negotiate over the rights of women and children. I could not sit at that table and then go back home and look at the faces of my wife and daughters. Look, whatever they slandered and defamed me about, they always committed those crimes themselves. They themselves put the achievements of young conservative women on the table. They betrayed our young girls in one fell swoop."

CHP Chairperson and National Alliance Presidential Candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu had called on his Twitter account, "I invite all women here at 21.00; we need to talk."

CHP leader and Presidential Candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu posted a video on his Twitter account at 21.00 this evening, in which he addressed women and wrote, "When women stand shoulder to shoulder, no one can pass between them".

CHP leader and Presidential Candidate Kılıçdaroğlu said the following:

"Good evening, my dear people.

Everywhere we go these days, women quietly come up to me and ask me questions about the election. They are very worried; veiled, uncovered, single, married, mothers... It makes no difference. They all have the same concern; they cannot understand that essential women's rights are being voted for in an election. They are horrified that their rights are being offered to radical elements as an election carrot.

Women already have a considerable burden on their backs. They have to take care of children, the elderly, the sick, housework, and everything. And most housewives have no security in this country. As if this burden is not heavy enough, they now face the threat of having their most basic rights taken away. It is a very, very great misfortune. This is a great misfortune not for them, but for the whole of Turkey.

Tonight I would like to address women.

Turkey has exhausted you, and I know that. Especially young conservative women were propagandized that 'if Mr. Kemal comes, you will lose your gains'. They did it for months, and they did it for days. They constantly lied, slandered and defamed. Those who did this then sat at the bargaining tables and let you down for three or five votes in one fell swoop. I am not exaggerating, and they let you down for three or five votes. Actually, there is a name for what they did, but I don't feel like saying it. I want to underline especially; Mr. Kemal will never, ever let you lose your gains. Mr. Kemal will never negotiate over the rights of women and children. I could not sit at that table and then go home and look at the faces of my wife and daughters. Look, whatever they slandered and defamed me about, they committed those crimes themselves. They themselves put the achievements of young conservative women on the table. They betrayed our young girls in one fell swoop.

I want to take this opportunity to remind you what Mr. Kemal proposed to women for the first six months in power.

Mr. Kemal;

First, he proposes to provide social security for housewives through Family Support Insurance.

Two, he proposes to increase the number of daycare centres.

Three, he proposes incentives to ensure women's participation in employment. Finally, he guarantees that there will be no loss of rights in any field of employment, including the public sector.

Four, it proposes to pave the way for women entrepreneurs.

Five, it proposes a lower limit for women to be equally represented in the board of directors of publicly traded companies.

Six proposes to create a New Beginnings Fund for divorced women.

Seven proposes that companies provide incentives for the return of women who have taken maternity leave and have not returned to work within the legal deadline.

Eight proposes tax breaks for companies with a high percentage of women in management positions.

Nine, it proposes implementing all necessary mechanisms and holistic policies to combat violence against women.

Ten, he proposes significant reforms in women's health.

Mr. Kemal actually promises the most beautiful spring. 'Spring will also come for women,' he says. Because Mr. Kemal knows and believes that Turkey will get stronger as women get stronger.

Good evening."