‘We Will Not Be Silent, We Will Not Be Afraid, We Will Not Obey!’

Organised by the 25 November Committee, the march began in Yenikent in front of Mor Çember and ended outside the House of Representatives. Participants carried placards protesting violence against women. After the march, a press statement was read out on behalf of the committee by Ülfet Kral, Secretary General for Gender Equality at KTAMS.

During the event, the names of women killed in the past 25 years were read aloud in a symbolic roll call.

Reading the joint statement titled “We Will Not Be Silent, We Will Not Be Afraid, We Will Not Obey”, Kral said the country’s economic and social problems have increasingly deepened inequalities and placed a heavier burden on women. She called for solidarity.

Kral argued that economic collapse, worsening poverty and weak social policies have intensified violence, affecting women, children, workers and LGBTI+ individuals the most. She said the weakening of state support mechanisms has left vulnerable groups exposed to abuse.

Noting that the Violence Against Women Unit, established in 2018, receives around 800 applications per year, Kral added that many women are unable to file complaints due to economic or security concerns. She claimed the unit has become increasingly ineffective and that women seeking protective measures often receive no response.

Kral also criticised the Disciplinary Regulation, which she said creates “psychological and physical pressure,” adding that rhetoric and practices that push women out of public life reinforce the foundations of violence.

Stressing that punishment alone is not enough to prevent violence against women, Kral called for full implementation of the Istanbul Convention and activation of the Department of Gender Equality. She said insufficient budget allocation for prevention policies stands in stark contrast to the additional resources provided to the Religious Affairs Directorate and Evkaf.

Kral listed several demands from women’s organisations, including:
– Opening additional women’s shelters,
– Strengthening response units,
– Toughening bail conditions,
– Improving the Alo 183 hotline,
– Implementing the Istanbul Convention,
– Incorporating international conventions into domestic law,
– Conducting effective investigations into suspicious deaths of women,
– Adding gender studies to school curricula,
– Guaranteeing reproductive rights,
– Reforming parental leave,
– Strengthening unionisation in the private sector,
– Expanding care centres,
– And ensuring that the Ministry of Education carries out oversight against “religious sect structures.”