The joint European Union and Council of Europe action “Fostering women's access to justice in Türkiye” contributed to the “Conference on Women’s Human Rights” organised at the Ankara University Faculty of Law in co-operation with several universities. Women in family law, women’s physical integrity and the right to live free from violence were among the topics addressed during the conference, organised on International Women’s Day on 7-8 March 2024.

The action had a stand throughout the conference and disseminated information about Council of Europe’s work in gender equality in co-operation with the European Union. The action is working on increasing legal awareness among women in vulnerable situations as well as towards enhancing the knowledge and skills of legal professionals on provision of gender-sensitive legal aid. This is why, reaching out to lawyers, academicians and students is crucial for advancing gender equality and promoting the rights of women in Türkiye.  

The two-day conference provided a forum for discussion on women’s human rights and included a presentation by Prof. Gulriz Uygur, author of  the “Gender analysis in earthquake areas: women’s access to justice and legal aid” conducted within the scope of the action “Fostering women's access to justice in Türkiye”.  Prof Uygur shared the findings with the audience, emphasizing the importance of providing gender-sensitive legal aid during and in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

The action “Fostering women's access to justice in Türkiye” is part of the European Union and Council of Europe’s joint programme "Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye“.