Joy of March 8
NEWS CENTER (DİHA)– This International Women's Day, women will take to the streets in 20 separate cities in Turkey for rallies against the harassment, rape, killing and exploitation of women. In addition to the urban rallies across Turkey,Kurdistan will also see celebrations and festivities across the towns and villages, where March 8 is a major event in the calendar and women take to the streets in traditional Kurdish clothes.
In Turkey and Kurdistan, the rape and murder of ÖzgecanAslanhas recently brought women to the streets in a wave of women's rebellion. In the last few weeks, March 8 events have continued across the country, many under the slogan of "let's organize and liberate our lives like the resisting women of Kobanê." The Congress of Free Women (KJA), the democratically organized women's movement in Kurdistan and Turkey, is one of the many women's activist groups and organizations with plans for the day.
In Istanbul, there will be a noon rally in Kadıköy in Istanbul and a "take back the night" march at 7 p.m., meeting in front of the French Culture Center in the downtown Taksim district. Ankara has a 1 p.m. march planned, meeting at Kurtuluş Park. In Diyarbakır, the World March of Women will reach the city for a massive rally starting at 11 a.m. at İstasyon Square. Izmir women will begin gathering at the Lausanne Gate of the Izmir fairgrounds at 1:30 for a rally.
Rallies and marches are also planned for Samsun (4 p.m., ÇiftlikAkbank); Antalya (3 p.m., AydınKanza Park); Eskişehir (2 p.m., Espark); Çorum (12 p.m., HacıBektaşVeli Park); Çanakkale (12 p.m., Salı Bazaar); Hopa (1 p.m., Hopa Park); İzmit (2:30 p.m., Merkez Bank); Isparta (4 p.m., EğitimSen building); Mersin (8 p.m., "take back the night" march); Trabzon (3 p.m., post office); Adana (3 p.m., January 5 Park); Balıkesir (12 p.m., in front of the TÜİK building); Bilecik (3 p.m., Cumhuriyet Square); and Zonguldak (4 p.m., Madenci Monument).
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