ABILITY Magazine's Interview: Safak Pavey

Safak Pavey is a journalist, writer, activist, and politician.

In 2011, after 15 years away in Switzerland,

she returned to her native Turkey and was elected

Deputy of the Istanbul Province

and was appointed Deputy Chairperson of the

Republican People's Party, or CHP.

She is a leading voice on the world stage for many issues

including Human Rights and inclusion for those with

disabilities in politics as well as other leadership positions.

During ABILITY Magazine's visit to the United Nations

we met with several delegates from across the world.

Here is an excerpt from our conversation

with Safak Pavey.

I had a train accident in Zurich, where I was studying

in Switzerland.

And the train left with the doors open

so, that is how it happened...

"We'll be in touch. Any time email...

Now that I won the elections, I'll be back."

And that was... it can happen to any one.

But afterwords, I met with the world of disability,

and which actually increased my sensitivities

and perspectives.

It gave me a new perspective in life.

Later on, I decided, I gave a struggle for myself

to stand up again like everybody else.

I've learned also falling is not a bad thing.

Because then you learn how to stand up again.

As a person who has fell several times

or once in your life

you know how to stand up again.

So that experience has certainly helped me.

Also to discover the world of disability

where there is a lot of discrimination that happens

from the society... interaction with the society

you find yourself in.

Be it physical to psychological challenges that you face.

At every level... discrimination.

So, I've decided to work for that as well...

Later in my life when I was working with the United Nations

and then I became the First Secretary to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

One area that certainly I'm very much willing

to work on is participation of disabled people

in political and public life.

Now, that I am a politician I see how very little that

representation is across the world.

As I get exposed to different Parliaments, local authorities,

where ever we go... I sit on 3 different international

committees as my Parliamentary work,

so I see how very little is invested

in disabled people to be politically participating

52<br/>00:02:59,493 --&gt; 00:03:01,126<br/>in the decision making mechanisms.

53<br/>00:03:01,126 --&gt; 00:03:03,609<br/>Committee on the Rights of Women

54<br/>00:03:05,024 --&gt; 00:03:07,339<br/>again another Human Rights committee at the UN

55<br/>00:03:07,739 --&gt; 00:03:10,310<br/>I think there should be many more involved in that as well

56<br/>00:03:10,310 --&gt; 00:03:14,459<br/>because we can't resolve Women's Rights issues without

57<br/>00:03:14,459 --&gt; 00:03:17,693<br/>looking at the other half of society.

58<br/>00:03:19,231 --&gt; 00:03:20,701<br/>For instance, violence against women can not be resolved

59<br/>00:03:20,701 --&gt; 00:03:23,646<br/>by teaching women their Rights or protecting them only

60<br/>00:03:23,646 --&gt; 00:03:27,014<br/>because they will be going to the same reality.

61<br/>00:03:28,060 --&gt; 00:03:32,190<br/>In my country, I find it that we teach, we help them

62<br/>00:03:32,190 --&gt; 00:03:36,124<br/>to rebuild their life, teach them their Rights... try to empower

63<br/>00:03:36,124 --&gt; 00:03:38,657<br/>them and they go back to the same household

64<br/>00:03:38,657 --&gt; 00:03:44,607<br/>where the male member of that household is in the same way

65<br/>00:03:44,607 --&gt; 00:03:48,323<br/>so they get exposed to even more violence

66<br/>00:03:48,323 --&gt; 00:03:51,273<br/>knowing their Rights this time.

67<br/>00:03:51,273 --&gt; 00:03:55,941<br/>So sometimes, we forget the other half.

68<br/>00:03:55,941 --&gt; 00:04:01,958<br/>Not only those who are exposed to the violation of their Rights

69<br/>00:04:01,958 --&gt; 00:04:07,258<br/>should be involved in programs and monitoring committees

70<br/>00:04:07,258 --&gt; 00:04:09,407<br/>but the other half as well should be involved

71<br/>00:04:09,407 --&gt; 00:04:11,906<br/>and other angles and perspectives

72<br/>00:04:11,906 --&gt; 00:04:15,329<br/>only then can we resolve issues in their society.

73<br/>00:04:15,329 --&gt; 00:04:18,101<br/>Not by isolating further.

74<br/>00:04:18,833 --&gt; 00:04:22,871<br/>There's also another aspect... to the disability... the world

75<br/>00:04:23,447 --&gt; 00:04:27,463<br/>doesn't want to face it, like in Syria right now...

76<br/>00:04:27,463 --&gt; 00:04:33,729<br/>or any where that you spot a conflict or violent situation

77<br/>00:04:33,729 --&gt; 00:04:36,345<br/>happening... with veterans coming back home

78<br/>00:04:36,345 --&gt; 00:04:40,579<br/>suddenly realize that that conflict actually disabled people

79<br/>00:04:40,579 --&gt; 00:04:42,995<br/>even more than the casualties that were lost.

80<br/>00:04:42,995 --&gt; 00:04:49,862<br/>In humanitarian work, which I used to work for,

81<br/>00:04:49,862 --&gt; 00:04:51,345<br/>with United Nations refugee agency.

82<br/>00:04:51,345 --&gt; 00:04:55,114<br/>In a humanitarian emergency situation, or conflict situation

83<br/>00:04:55,114 --&gt; 00:04:59,963<br/>be it a natural disaster or a human made disaster, like wars,

84<br/>00:04:59,963 --&gt; 00:05:08,262<br/>we always used to calculate the result by saying 4 times

85<br/>00:05:08,262 --&gt; 00:05:11,712<br/>the casualties equals how many people disabled by this war

86<br/>00:05:11,712 --&gt; 00:05:15,245<br/>always think that from that war not only the casualties

87<br/>00:05:15,245 --&gt; 00:05:19,146<br/>will be the negative outcome of that war.

88<br/>00:05:19,146 --&gt; 00:05:23,562<br/>Learning our lessons from our mistakes, did not happen

89<br/>00:05:23,562 --&gt; 00:05:24,711<br/>in human kind.

90<br/>00:05:24,711 --&gt; 00:05:27,678<br/>That's why we're up for wars again. We are up for this.

91<br/>00:05:27,678 --&gt; 00:05:30,078<br/>We pay a big price.

92<br/>00:05:30,078 --&gt; 00:05:35,812<br/>I mean, a single person's life, full of a lot of challenges,

93<br/>00:05:35,812 --&gt; 00:05:41,896<br/>opportunities, good things, bad things, but it's already quite a lot.

94<br/>00:05:43,973 --&gt; 00:05:45,357<br/>And that's not enough for us!

95<br/>00:05:45,357 --&gt; 00:05:47,790<br/>We need to create more mayhem in the world!

96<br/>00:05:47,790 --&gt; 00:05:51,275<br/>Do we really need that?

97<br/>00:05:51,275 --&gt; 00:05:53,308<br/>I don't think we do.

98<br/>00:05:53,308 --&gt; 00:05:55,574<br/>Who ever is behind these war decisions...

99<br/>00:05:55,574 --&gt; 00:05:58,308<br/>...who ever is behind changing public opinion,

100<br/>00:05:58,308 --&gt; 00:06:00,724<br/>making it aggressive towards another nation,

101<br/>00:06:00,724 --&gt; 00:06:04,140<br/>is guilty of stealing from our future...

102<br/>00:06:04,140 --&gt; 00:06:06,708<br/>our next generation's future.

103<br/>00:06:06,708 --&gt; 00:06:08,308<br/>Not only ours.

104<br/>00:06:08,308 --&gt; 00:06:12,157<br/>Because, just like Nature Rights, looking at long term

105<br/>00:06:12,157 --&gt; 00:06:17,358<br/>uh, short term gains and benefits out of cutting off

106<br/>00:06:17,358 --&gt; 00:06:23,290<br/>Amazon. Yes, you will be filthy rich, but then you have made

107<br/>00:06:23,290 --&gt; 00:06:25,708<br/>the next generation completely poor.

108<br/>00:06:25,708 --&gt; 00:06:28,541<br/>So, just like causing a war...

109<br/>00:06:28,541 --&gt; 00:06:32,775<br/>So, we have to be very careful in our steps when we are

110<br/>00:06:32,775 --&gt; 00:06:36,308<br/>going over confident in our decisions.

111<br/>00:06:36,308 --&gt; 00:06:38,957<br/>We just have to remember our personal pain....

112<br/>00:06:38,957 --&gt; 00:06:43,325<br/>...our personal achievements sometimes...

113<br/>00:06:43,325 --&gt; 00:06:45,807<br/>...how hard it is to make it.

114<br/>00:06:47,669 --&gt; 00:06:51,079<br/>And try to settle for a smaller but long term.

115<br/>00:06:52,479 --&gt; 00:06:56,310<br/>After building United Nations, we should try to respect

116<br/>00:06:56,310 --&gt; 00:06:59,077<br/>this system as well, of states coming together...

117<br/>00:06:59,077 --&gt; 00:07:01,891<br/>...trying to solve things by dialogue rather than

118<br/>00:07:01,891 --&gt; 00:07:05,493<br/>launching wars on each other.

119<br/>00:07:05,493 --&gt; 00:07:11,309<br/>So, I believe... yes, if you're a lazy person

120<br/>00:07:11,309 --&gt; 00:07:14,509<br/>which is fine... which is okay, but then... stay at home

121<br/>00:07:14,509 --&gt; 00:07:17,192<br/>and don't get involved with decision making

122<br/>00:07:17,192 --&gt; 00:07:20,327<br/>because decision making needs patience and hard work.

123<br/>00:07:20,327 --&gt; 00:07:24,392<br/>And war is for lazy people's choice.

124<br/>00:07:24,392 --&gt; 00:07:26,077<br/>I believe.

125<br/>00:07:26,077 --&gt; 00:07:30,026<br/>And it's fine for me to be lazy too, but just get involved

126<br/>00:07:30,026 --&gt; 00:07:31,626<br/>in decision making then.

127<br/>00:07:31,626 --&gt; 00:07:34,059<br/>Don't go for the short term decision.

128<br/>00:07:34,059 --&gt; 00:07:35,992<br/>Peace always takes more work.

129<br/>00:07:35,992 --&gt; 00:07:39,759<br/>And always takes more effort, more dialogue, and more

130<br/>00:07:39,759 --&gt; 00:07:42,660<br/>screaming at each other, but still trying to find

131<br/>00:07:42,660 --&gt; 00:07:45,076<br/>a way to listen to each other as well.

132<br/>00:07:45,076 --&gt; 00:07:46,926<br/>And that's only possible by talking.

133<br/>00:07:46,926 --&gt; 00:07:49,676<br/>That's the only thing we human kind have.

134<br/>00:07:49,676 --&gt; 00:07:52,559<br/>So, as a talent.

135<br/>00:07:52,559 --&gt; 00:07:57,592<br/>I think, be it serious different issues, related to conflict

136<br/>00:07:57,592 --&gt; 00:08:02,926<br/>resolution, we can do it, if we really are persistent

137<br/>00:08:02,926 --&gt; 00:08:06,691<br/>and consistent with our aim.

138<br/>00:08:06,691 --&gt; 00:08:08,092<br/>What do you want to do?

139<br/>00:08:08,092 --&gt; 00:08:09,259<br/>Go for the easy way?

140<br/>00:08:09,259 --&gt; 00:08:13,393<br/>Or go for the difficult but much more durable way?

141<br/>00:08:13,393 --&gt; 00:08:14,178<br/>Which is peace.