Turks get new faces for women’s rights

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Turkey’s 2002 Miss World, Azra Akın (L), and actress Songül Öden (R) pose with UNFPA Turkey Representative Zahidul Huque at the press conference.

Turkey’s 2002 Miss World Azra Akın and actress Songül Öden have become the voice and the face of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Turkey Office’s campaign to prevent violence against women.
 
In their first action, Akın and Öden hosted a concert titled “Women Songs” on March 10, performed by the State Polyphonic Choir. The concert was jointly organized by the Culture and Tourism Ministry and UNFPA in Ankara. 

Raising awareness

At a press conference held before the concert, UNFPA Turkey Representative Zahidul Huque said that UNFPA had been working for women’s and children’s rights and collecting data from all over the world. 
Huque said that they had decided to work with well-known Turkish names Akın and Öden in order to raise awareness about violence against women in Turkey, and added that it was very important for them to get the support of famous people.

She said that Akın, who was chosen as Miss World in 2002, was in a very strong position in Turkey and the world to help strengthen the position of women. 
Hurque added that Öden was very famous as well thanks to her TV series’, especially in the Arab world, and that she worked passionately for women’s rights. 

Following the press conference, Akın and Öden hosted the concert, during which 13 songs dedicated to women were performed.