Paylaş
A feminist night march was held on the evening of March 8. The march, attended by hundreds of women, once again demonstrated the determination of the women’s struggle and the solidarity in the streets.
Adana marked March 8, International Women’s Day, as a day of commemoration and struggle, in keeping with its history and spirit. Events held across many parts of the city throughout the week drew attention to women’s rights, the struggle for equality and the power of solidarity.
The events organized in cooperation with the Adana Bar Association Women’s Rights Centre, Adana Metropolitan Municipality, Seyhan Municipality and Yüreğir Municipality enabled women to make their voices heard more strongly.
The march organized by the Adana Women’s Platform on March 8 drew strong participation this year, as it does every year. Throughout the march, women declared that they would continue fighting for their rights not only on March 8, but every day of the year.
The Adana branches of the Turkish Women’s Union (TKB) and KADER, together with the AKDAM Association, issued a joint press statement emphasizing the importance of the struggle for women’s rights. While demonstrating their determination in political and legal struggles, the women’s organizations stated that the fight for equality would continue without interruption. The statement strongly affirmed women’s commitment to defending the Republic, Atatürk and the revolutionary laws that safeguard women’s rights.
Information and Awareness Activities on Women’s Rights
Legal professionals and civil society organizations met with women in socio-economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods and organized information sessions on the history of March 8, women’s rights and methods of protection. Women were informed about how they could exercise their rights, where they could seek support and which institutions they could contact, and contact details were shared.
Women living in these neighbourhoods called for the resumption of vocational training, an increase in literacy courses and greater financial support. They emphasized that knowing their rights alone is not enough and that these rights must also be enforced.
One woman’s words, “I obtained a restraining order, but my son had arrived home before me and was there,” once again highlighted the importance of combating violence against women. Women also called for further action on economic support, employment opportunities and the fight against drugs.
Young people, who are an important part of the women’s struggle, also marked March 8 at universities. The “Your Turn to Speak” event held at universities became an important platform where women voiced the problems they face and put forward proposed solutions. Female students emphasized that the struggle for equality is not limited to a single day and must continue in every sphere of life.
Following months of work, Yüreğir Municipality introduced its Local Equality Action Plan, which incorporates gender-responsive, women-friendly budgeting. Emphasizing that women should have a greater voice in local governance, the plan aims to strengthen the struggle for women’s rights at the institutional level as well.
Feminist Night March
A feminist night march was held on the evening of March 8. The march, attended by hundreds of women, once again demonstrated the determination of the women’s struggle and the solidarity in the streets.
On March 9, the annual “Say No to Violence Against Women Run,” held in memory of Özgecan Aslan, took place at Adana Yeşiloba Racecourse, as it does every year.
Women’s civil society organizations and members of the provincial protocol attended this meaningful race, along with Özgecan Aslan’s mother and father, as they do every year. The horse named “Baybars Han,” owned by Erkan Yıldırım and ridden by jockey Hışman Çizik, came first in the race.
Gatherings of Art, Culture and Solidarity
Adana Metropolitan Municipality and Seyhan Municipality organized numerous artistic and cultural events, including mosaic workshops, a visit to the Bath Museum and a soap-making workshop, as well as an exhibition of bezi and kamlo weaving looms, with the aim of making women’s labour more visible and ensuring greater participation of women in the arts.
The Kardeş Türküler concert organized by the Metropolitan Municipality was one of the special moments when women’s solidarity came together with art. Seyhan Municipality’s women’s choir met with music lovers at Çırçır Art Centre, contributing to the women’s struggle through the power of art.
Adana Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Zeydan Karalar visited women textile workers and listened to their working conditions and the difficulties they face.
Emphasizing that women’s labour must be supported, Karalar stated that projects aimed at increasing women’s employment would continue.
Seyhan Municipality’s woman mayor, Oya Tekin, met with women neighbourhood heads and representatives of women’s civil society organizations in the city, listened to the problems faced by women and discussed proposed solutions.
The meeting emphasized that a women-friendly approach to municipal governance would continue and that projects aimed at strengthening women’s rights would continue to be developed.
This article was prepared in 2025 by journalist Dudu Büşra Maksutoğlu Karadeniz as part of the Local Women Journalists Network Project.
