This footage was filmed and produced 3 March 2024.

[Note: speech in Turkish]

Thousands of women held a large rally in Istanbul before March 8, International Women's Day. Women gathered in Kadıkoy and expressed their demands against increasing male violence and femicide. The rally featured photographs of March 8 pioneers such as Roza Luxemburg and Clara Zetkin. In addition, a photo of Palestinian female guerrilla Leila Khaled was also carried by some women. After the press release was read at the rally, halay dances were performed.

SOUNDBITE 1, Berivan Saruhan read the press release on behalf of the "Istanbul 8 March Women's Platform":

01:14:13 - 02:06:03
Despite the 107 years that have passed since the 8 March was declared, almost nothing has changed in our living conditions. But women everywhere in the world are struggling to change this trend. Today, those who try to determine the lives of millions of women continue to make policies regarding us, disregarding our lives. They sanctify the family by ignoring even the right to life of women and children. Most of all, women are killed by their closest relatives within those families. They are putting all their mechanisms into action to take away all our acquired rights with their reactionary policies. The Civil Code is being compromised. They are staring at our right to divorce and our right to alimony. They claim that they do these "for women". We know the truth. They continue to darken our lives with their misogynistic policies.

SOUNDBITE 2, Berivan Saruhan:

03:36:31 - 04:11:35

The "only man" (President Recep Tayyip Erdogan) who has withdrawn his signature from the Istanbul Convention has the courage to make decisions on behalf of women. As 6284 (Women's Protection Law) becomes controversial, perpetrators gain courage and femicides increase. They try to intimidate struggling women with punishments. 8 women in 2 days; the man she divorced was killed by her father and the men she wanted to divorce. Those who attack our rights should remain silent about these murders! We will not leave the streets and areas against male violence.