Paylaş
At the March 8 celebration in Kayseri, the need to implement social policies to reduce the burden of care placed on women was emphasized.
The Kayseri Women’s Platform gathered in Cumhuriyet Square on March 8, International Women’s Day, and marched for women’s rights. In a press statement, the importance of women’s solidarity was emphasized, attention was drawn to the common problems faced by women in Türkiye and around the world, and a call for struggle was made.
The statement drew attention to the fact that women workers are subjected to inhumane working conditions, job insecurity, violence and insults. It saluted the resistance of women workers who were dismissed while trying to unionize in pursuit of equal pay. Demands for “unions without thresholds, secure employment and strikes without bans” were voiced.
The statement also addressed the increase in femicides and the continuing incidents of violence, emphasizing that the decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention and the questioning of Law No. 6284 have left women without protection.
It was stated that courts encourage murderers through sentence reductions based on “unjust provocation” and “good conduct,” with the murder of Pınar Gültekin cited as an example. The decision issued by the Court of Cassation was argued to reflect a male-dominated perspective. It was reported that there were 394 femicides and 259 suspicious deaths in 2024, while 51 women were murdered in the first two months of 2025.
Criticism of the government’s “Year of the Family” campaigns was also an important part of the speech. It was stated that encouraging women to marry young and have children at an early age, thereby separating them from education and working life, creates a profound problem regarding women’s roles in society. It was argued that women are being made dependent on the family, with the statement: “Those who tell women to have children do not say how these children will be cared for.”
Women Remain Firm in Their Demands
The need to implement social policies to reduce the burden of care placed on women was emphasized. There were calls for the expansion of free childcare centres and elderly care homes, and for all workers, regardless of gender, to be able to benefit from childcare services in working life.
There were also calls for the Istanbul Convention to be reinstated, for the implementation of the International Labour Organization’s Convention No. 190 on Violence and Harassment, and for the effective enforcement of Law No. 6284.
In response to this year’s March 8 theme, the “Year of the Family,” the Kayseri Women’s Platform raised its voice, declaring: “The Year of the Family Is Yours, the Struggle Is Ours!” Women reaffirmed their determination to continue the struggle and called for solidarity.
As part of March 8, International Women’s Day, the Kayseri City Council Women’s Working Group organized a panel titled “New Steps for Women- and Child-Friendly Cities.”
At the event, held at the Kayseri High School National Struggle Museum, issues of equal opportunity, safety, accessibility and sustainability were discussed through the experiences of women and children in urban life.
The panel emphasized the need for greater participation of women in urban governance, safer urban spaces and support for women’s entrepreneurship. The importance of healthy environments and safe play areas for children was also discussed. The event, which also examined international examples, aimed to serve as a starting point for fostering cooperation between local governments and civil society organizations.
This article was prepared in 2025 by journalist Verda Yiğit as part of the Local Women Journalists Network Project.
