Summary
Highlights
Erdoğan greets participants of the International Asia Political Parties Conference and expresses pleasure in hosting them. He emphasizes the importance of women's participation in politics and decision-making processes across Asia, highlighting the AK Party's success, which he attributes significantly to its women's branches, describing them as the most dynamic and well-equipped women's movement in Turkey.
Erdoğan, as a statesman who believes in women's active political participation, feels honored by their contributions to Turkey's bright future. He discusses the historical steps taken to empower women in Turkey, including increasing their representation in politics, boosting their workforce participation, combating violence against women, and undertaking reforms for rights and freedoms.
Erdoğan expresses sorrow over the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, noting that women and children bear the brunt of the suffering. He cites examples from Syria and, most notably, criticizes Israel for attacks that resulted in the deaths of 165 innocent children in an airstrike on a school and 254 Lebanese individuals even after a ceasefire.
Erdoğan urges a critical examination of the situation, questioning whether the actions against Palestinian prisoners and the policies pursued by Israel constitute a new form of denial, destruction, oppression, and political execution. He explicitly labels these actions as discrimination and racism, likening them to a more severe form of the apartheid regime that fell in South Africa in 1994.
Despite the disheartening situation, Erdoğan affirms that they are not pessimistic and will not abandon the struggle. He pledges to continue advocating for justice, speaking truths no matter how difficult, and defending justice on all platforms. He expresses strong belief that through unity and solidarity against oppression and discrimination, solutions can be found, especially if women raise their voices, promising that walls will fall, oppressors will lose, and the voice of justice will grow stronger, leading to peace and love replacing conflict and violence.