THE MARMARA FOUNDATION EU AND HUMAN RIGHTS PLATFORM IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY WITH 40 WOMEN FOR THE SPECIAL SESSION ON WOMEN The Chairwoman of the Marmara Foundation EU and Human Rights Platform Mujgan Suver interviewed by journalists in front of the Turkish Grand National Assembly The Chairwoman of the Marmara Foundation EU and Human Rights Platform Mujgan Suver: “Equal opportunity in social life will be realized through the equal participation of women into the economic and political life.” The Marmara Foundation EU and Human Rigths Platform joined the parliamentary session on women that was held on the occasion of Women’s Day on March 7, 2007. Marmara Foundation’s group consisted of 40 women and was headed by the Chairwoman of the Marmara Foundation EU and Human Rigths Platform, Mujgan Suver. Making a declaration on the occasion of the Women’s Day meeting, Mujgan Suver said “Equal opportunity in the social life will realize through the EQUAL PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN THE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL LIFE.” Mujgan Suver made the following statement: “Women employment should be increased so as to ensure the equality between men and women in practice. Turkey has guaranteed to make laws and devise policies to achieve gender equality by amending the Constitution and existing laws, by putting new legislation into force, ratifying international conventions including the ILO conventions and by adopting the acquis. However, unions, non-governmental organizations, state institutions and most importantly politicians should take concrete steps so that these guarantees will not remain on the paper. Affirmative action should be taken until the balance between women and men in political and work life is achieved. The participation of women workforce should be encouraged. For this to happen, we need to question the “patriarchal structure” which reflects itself in the family, school, media and politics. A sustainable and balanced development cannot be achieved unless the active participation of women in the politics and economy is realized.”