When autocrats fear women

EuroPolicy, in cooperation with the Prague Office of Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung and EURACTIV Slovakia, kindly invite you to an online discussion titled When autocrats fear women: How are Turkish women attempting to influence politics?, which will be held on 31 May 2022 from 10 AM to 11.30 AM.

Discussion will be held in English language and will not be streamed live. After registration, you will receive a link to access the event on Zoom platform.

BACKGROUND

Turkish political environment of neoliberal, nationalist, and religious discourses, which some conceptualize as “the new mode of patriarchy,” is rapidly turning towards authoritarianism. It is not a coincidence that backsliding of democratic practices, recognized even by the European Union, ushers rolling back of women’s equality.

Nevertheless, Turkish women and women’s movement has been able to unite, mobilize and even pushed back attempts to restrict women’s rights, fighting to protect earlier achievements in domestic law as they maintain attempts to influence law and law-making. Even in foreign affairs front, the number and visibility of women in Turkish diplomacy tends to increase, although they are clustered in less prestigious positions. In some areas, the EU had been the motivator as well, yet many argue that the gender rights have not been sufficiently reflected in the EU´s policy towards Turkey.

– Does women’s movement in Turkey remain determined to pioneer political and social change?

– Are Turkish women even driven to politics or diplomacy? How do they manage to influence it?

– Is there a potential for more feminist elements in Turkish national and foreign policy? And how can the EU and its members support them?

PANELISTS

• ZEYNEP ALEMDAR, Women’s Initiative in Foreign Policy
• BARÇIN YİNANÇ, Independent Journalist

Discussion will be moderated by LUCIA YAR, acting Editor-in-Chief at EURACTIV Slovakia.

To attend the event, please register here.