04.09.2026 09:40
At a widely attended farmers' gathering held in the Yuksekova district of Hakkari, female farmer Esma Sırma, who took the stage in her traditional local dress, received great applause for her words, "Right now, 300 men are seated, and there are no women at all. All the women have gone to milk the sheep and to the garden."
At a large-scale farmers' meeting held in Yüksekova district of Hakkari, female farmer Esma Sırma, who took the stage wearing a traditional dress, voiced the difficulties faced by female farmers, saying, "Right now, 300 men are seated, and there are no women at all. All the women have gone to milk sheep and to the garden."
"WOMEN BEAR THE HEAVY BURDENS"
Drawing attention with her speech at the meeting also attended by Şemsi Bayraktar, the President of the Turkish Union of Chambers of Agriculture (TZOB), Sırma stated that women bear the heavy burden of agricultural and livestock activities in the challenging geography of Eastern Anatolia.
"WE DON'T EVEN HAVE SHADE"
Sırma emphasized that women herders, who toil in the mountains and pastures, are deprived of the most basic human and professional needs, and drew attention especially to the inadequacy of rest areas. Sırma said, "We have no shade; the herders have no shade. There is no development of sheep pasture. All of this is women's work. When we go to the sheep, we cannot drink enough water; how will the sheep be watered? When we go to the garden, we cannot drink enough water; how will the garden be watered?"
"YÜKSEKOVA IS TURKEY'S WEALTH"
Underlining that Yüksekova has great potential to contribute to Turkey's agricultural wealth with its geographical location and soil structure, Sırma called on the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the TZOB administration to take concrete steps. Stating that the border district should receive the value it deserves in agriculture, Sırma said, "Yüksekova is gold; it is Turkey's wealth; it is Turkey's future. Please, let them show a little more regard for our Yüksekova."
"I WANT A PUBLIC MARKET ON BEHALF OF WOMEN"
Esma Sırma stated that one of the biggest problems of local producers is the lack of a suitable area to market their products, and she concluded her speech with a special request made on behalf of female producers. Sırma requested the establishment of cooperative-supported sales areas where women could directly deliver their agricultural and handmade products to consumers, and called out: "We have no market. I want a market on behalf of women. Please, let us have a public market."