Thousands of women across Turkiye took part in the annual International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls on Friday, 25 November. Yet for some, their attempts at peaceful protest were met with a heavy-handed and violent response from police in several districts. In Istanbul, despite it being a tradition to assemble […]
It seems that I am repeating myself, but I can’t stop asking the question: “What has changed since my article from 25 November 2020? And once again, I am very saddened to say, “Nothing!” Unfortunately, nothing has changed except the numbers. Although violence against women and girls is PREVENTABLE, the numbers on violence against women […]
Seven years ago, Phoebe Coles and two female student friends formed a social action group to help marginalised people in Cyprus. The group morphed into Vicinus, a voluntary-managed organisation that is involved in island-wide social and educational projects to support the rights of women, children and migrants. Vicinus has helped stage concerts for refugees, raise […]
Marked on 8 March every year, the International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global event to celebrate women’s achievements and also to demand women’s equality. In Istanbul there was again an air of defiance among the metropolis’ women. Each year, in Turkiye as in other parts of the world, many notable events take place on […]
The Turkiye-Germany Film Festival returns for its 26th outing with a magnificent gala on Friday, 11 March.. This year’s opening movie is Bergen, starring Farah Zeynep Abdullah in the lead role. The film is based on a tragic real-life story about Bergen, a Turkish arabesque singer with a cult following who fights to keep performing despite enduring […]
Women have taken to the streets to demand President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reverses his decree for Turkey to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention. The international treaty aims to curb violence against women. Thousands descended on Rıhtım Meydanı in Kadıköy, Istanbul, to protest the decision. Smaller demonstrations took place elsewhere in the country, including Izmir, Bursa, Manisa, […]
One year has flown by since 25 November 2019. Exactly 365 days since we demonstrated globally to raise awareness of violence against women and girls, and what has changed since that day? Nothing! Nothing has changed, and unfortunately with the Covid-19 pandemic with lockdowns and quarantine days, the reality is that violence against women and […]
Plumbing entrepreneur Hatice ‘Hattie’ Hasan, founder and chief executive of female plumbing business Stopcocks, has launched a new initiative for female victims of domestic abuse and the organisations that support them. Hasan is aiming to raise £15,000 to set up a National Register of Tradeswomen. The Register will primarily aim to support vulnerable women, either […]
There has been public uproar and protests following the brutal killing of Pınar Gültekin, a 27-year-old university student whose body was found in the Aegean district of Muğla on Tuesday, 21 July. She had been missing since 16 July after stepping out of her flat in Muğla. Police were able to track her movements by […]
Shockwaves in Turkey over the killing of a mother in front of her child by her ex-husband have sparked a new debate over the country’s domestic violence record. Emine Bulut, 38, was stabbed to death in a cafe on 18 August by her former husband in the central Anatolian city of Kırıkkale, some 50km east […]
