Marches, events call for end to violence against women

ISTANBUL

Türkiye observed the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on Nov. 25 with nationwide marches and events aimed at amplifying awareness of femicide and gender-based violence.

Throughout the weekend, thousands of women, particularly in Istanbul and other major cities, took to the streets, chanting slogans and organizing demonstrations to protest the ongoing scourge of femicide in the country.

With femicide remaining a profoundly pressing issue in Türkiye, in the first 10 months of 2024, 276 women were killed, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya disclosed last week.

The Family and Social Services Ministry reaffirmed its "zero tolerance" stance toward violence against women.

“We are implementing impactful measures to halt violence and disrupt its perpetuation. Violence against women is an indefensible crime against humanity and combating it is a shared responsibility,” Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş stated in a video message on Nov. 25.

The U.N. Women Türkiye office announced this year’s theme as the “Shine a Light Campaign,” which commenced on Nov. 22 as part of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.

“Let us not ignore, normalize, or remain passive, let us act,” U.N. Türkiye Resident Coordinator Babatunde Ahonsi said.

Similarly, EU Delegation to Türkiye Ambassador Thomas Ossowski articulated the vision of a world where women and girls can live freely, develop their potential and fully realize their aspirations.

Two U.N. agencies reported on Nov. 25 that the deadliest place for women is at home and 140 women and girls on average were killed by an intimate partner or family member per day last year globally.

Globally, an intimate partner or family member was responsible for the deaths of approximately 51,100 women and girls during 2023, an increase from an estimated 48,800 victims in 2022, U.N. Women and the U.N. Office of Drugs and Crime said.

Across Türkiye, civil society organizations paid tribute to victims of femicide, laying carnations on their graves.

“The atrocities inflicted upon Narin, baby Sıla and the heinous murders of Ayşenur Halil and İkbal Uzuner within half an hour of each other have strengthened our resolve in this decades-long struggle,” said participant Çağrı Sert told private Demirören News Agency during a protest in the southern province of Antalya.

The killing of 8-year-old Narin Güran, the death of 2-year-old Sıla Y. following sexual assault and the murders of 19-year-olds Ayşenur Halil and İkbal Uzuner have sparked widespread outrage and grief in recent months.

While the Turkish parliament has established commissions to investigate both femicide and violence against children, the Women and Democracy Association (KADEM) recently unveiled a study scrutinizing popular Turkish dramas.

The research examined 14 of the most-watched series of the 2023-2024 broadcast season, uncovering 3,013 instances of violence against women within these productions. On average, television series depict nine scenes of violence per episode, while digital platform dramas feature seven.