The Free Women's Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA) and the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Women Assembly have held gatherings and events in many cities as part of the March 8 International Women's Day.

In a statement on behalf of the Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK) Women Assemblies, HDK spokeswoman İdil Uğurlu called on activists to participate in the Feminist Night March to be held in Kadıköy, Istanbul on March 6 and Taksim on March 8.

HDK spokeswoman İdil Uğurlu stated that the Turkish government considers women as a threat, recalling that nearly 300 women were killed in 2020. “Women were imprisoned in homes. They were subjected to strip search. The government accused women of being immoral for not reporting strip searches earlier. They want to open up the women's account to debate and create their own women. Despite all the pressures, there is a strong women's struggle in the streets, in factories, in prisons. We have an organized struggle. The government is afraid of this,” she said.

The 8 March Women's Platform also invited all women activists to the women's meeting to be held in Kadıköy on March 6 in a statement made at the Istanbul Branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD) in Beyoğlu, Istanbul.

AĞRI

HDP Ağrı Women Assembly held a festivity in the district of Patnos. Co-mayor Müşerref Geçer and many women activists attended the event which was held at the Municipality Cultural Center. Women danced and sang in Kurdish. The program ended after women were presented carnations and gifts.

ADANA

HDP Women’s Assembly and TJA activists in Adana organized a women's festival in Ceyhan district. HDP Adana Deputy Tülay Hatimoğulları and many women attended the event held in the HDP Ceyhan District Organization building. Calling attention to the 96th day of the hunger strike launched in Turkish prisons against the isolation imposed upon Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, Hatimoğulları demanded an end to the isolation of Öcalan in Imrali prison.

The event ended with songs and traditional dances performed by Koma Ş. Azadi.

MARDIN

Women gathered in the Xurs neighborhood in the Kızıltepe district of Mardin. The group of women, including HDP spokeswoman Ebru Günay, marched with carnations in their hands to the Xurs Spring chanting slogans.

In her speech Günay said, “We leave these carnations into the spring to show our solidarity with our female friends in prisons.”

After the speech, the women left the carnations into the Xurs Spring and sang songs.

Later, women visited tradeswomen in the district and distributed carnations.

AMED

Women flew balloons near the historical On Gözlü (Ten Arches) Bridge on the Tigris River in Sur district of Amed (Diyarbakır). Speaking here, HDP Sur district branch administrator Makbule Güner said, “We fly these balloons to condemn violence against women. We hope the violence flies away like these balloons.” Later, the women flew purple and white balloons, chanting the slogan "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" (Woman, Life, Freedom).

URFA

Solidarity cards were sent to women behind bars in Urfa. Women gathered at the HDP Provincial Organization building and sent the cards to prisons.