Türkiye

Turkey’s performance in implementing the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was reviewed by a United Nations committee on July 13, as a Turkish delegation provided official figures and answered the committee’s questions on a wide range of women’s issues in the country. 

Judith Prat, documentary photographer, has recently published an article on the sustained political struggle of Kurdish women. The article builds upon an interview with Cemile Akgun (vid. Photo) from the association “Mothers for Peace”. After the attack the Turkish army in 1994, which destroyed the town of Dersim, where they resided, Cemile and her family were obliged to flee to Istanbul.

The People’s Democracy Party (HDP) has co-chairs for all representative levels. A female and male official share the responsibility. The party is chaired by Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag. The HDP has become the fastest-growing political movement in Turkey since the August 2014 election.