Turkish politician Safak Pavey represents Istanbul Province for the main opposition Republican People's party (CHP), and is the first disabled woman to be elected to parliament in Turkey, but she fights for so much more than just the disabled population. Having lost an arm and a leg in a train accident when she was 19, Pavey's very presence in the Turkish parliament triggered a month-long debate about the dress code for women in parliament.
Eventially Pavey won that battle – female MPs now have the right to wear trousers – but she still finds herself fighting daily in a parliament where the questions of whether pregnant women can walk around publicly (yes, really), and if girls and boys can share the same classrooms, are still up for debate. 'I cannot believe the things that are discussed in the public debates,' she told the Guardian.
Pavey is also determined to change the perception of the disabled population in Turkey, where many families hide their special needs members, due to a widely-recognised stigma of shame. Her campaigning has naturally made her incredibly unpopular with some members of the ruling Justice And Development Party (JDP). Local JDP youth leader Melik Birgin once Tweeted: 'Allah took one of your legs and you haven't woken from the sleep of blasphemy. What is it with your stubbornness?' He was subsequently fired after Pavey wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister in complaint.
But even Prime Minister Erdogan has openly said he feels women and men aren't equal and plans to restrict abortion and even ban Caesarean sections, so Pavey’s fight for equality runs the gamut. Last year, Erdogan revealed plans for a law that will make hate crimes illegal, including those against religious minorities, race and gender. However, he didn't address discrimination against LGBTs. To date, the law hasn’t been passed anyway.
However, Pavey’s not afraid to take on whomever stands in the way of what’s right, saying: 'Many female politicians get intimidated by the aggressive behaviour of men. I don't. Not because I am a courageous person or anything, but because I see international standards and I see that they are worth fighting for.'
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Picture: Getty
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.