1993


Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR) was launched in Istanbul.

1993-1994

A study on the “Causes and Effects of Domestic Violence” was carried out by the Office of the Prime Ministry Institution of Family Research.

1994


  • House visits with discussions centering on domestic violence were started in Istanbul’s neighborhoods of Ümraniye, Dudullu and Kartal.
  • A 31-minute documentary titled “Time to Say No!” was produced detailing three women’s struggle to escape violence and start a new life in the face of domestic violence and the sexual harassment of their children by their spouses.
  • The “We Have Rights!” Booklet was published and started serving as a legal guidebook for women of all literacy levels.

1995

House meetings continued in various Istanbul neighborhoods.

1995-1996


The first pilot Training of Trainers and application of the Legal Literacy Program for Women, later to be called the Human Rights Education Program for Women (HREP), was carried out in the neighborhoods of Ümraniye and Gülsuyu.

1996

Our book titled “Myth of A Warm Home” was published. Dedicated to “Women and children in Turkey and all over the world who persevere and continue to struggle with great courage and effort in the face of domestic violence and sexual abuse”, this volume incorporates the findings of most of our early work.

1996-1997


A field study on Women and the Law: Women’s Condition in Turkey was conducted in Istanbul’s Ümraniye neighbourhood as well as the provinces of Diyarbakır, Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa.

1997

  • In addition to ongoing groups in Istanbul, the second pilot HREP Training of Trainers and program implementation was started in Diyarbakır, Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa.
  • The Campaign against Virginity Testing was launched in collaboration with the organized women’s movement in order to put an end to rights violations and discrimination against women, as a result of which an administrative ban was imposed on virginity tests.

1997-1998


  • The Campaign for a Law on Domestic Violence Protection was undertaken, resulting in the adoption of Law no 4320 regulating Domestic Violence Protection Orders.
  • Revised following the two pilot implementations to comprehensively cover issues brought up by women during the needs assessment, the Human Rights Education for Women Training Manual comprising 350 pages and 16 modules was finalized for publication.
  • The We Have Rights! booklet saw its fifth edition.

1998

  • In order to expand the outreach of the Human Rights Education Program for Women and bring it to women all over Turkey, a partnership protocol was signed with the General Directorate of Social Services and Child Protection (GDSS).
  • The first official HREP Training of Trainers was carried out in collaboration with the GDSS with the participation of 19 women from 5 provinces.
  • The Çanakkale ELDER Women’s Counseling Center was founded by women who participated in HREP in 1998. ELDER became the first independent women’s organization to be established by HREP participants.

1999


  • The second HREP Training of Trainers took place in Istanbul with the participation of 25 women from 11 provinces.
  • We were granted the Association for Women in Development (AWID) Leading Solutions Award for our contributions to advancing gender equality and social justice through our work and programs.

2000

The 3rd HREP Training of Trainers was held in Istanbul with the participation of 23 women from 11 provinces.

2000-2001


  • The Campaign for Full Equality was undertaken for reform in the Turkish Civil Code, largely succeeding in achieving full equality in many of the law’s provisions.
  • Two booklets by the name of We Have Sexual Rights! and We Have Reproductive Rights! were published.

2001


  • The Campaign for the Reform of the Turkish Penal Code from a Gender Perspective was launched.

2002


  • We held our 4th HREP Training of Trainers, in which women from independent grassroots women’s organizations participated for the very first time, thus becoming group facilitators. In addition to the Women’s Solidarity Foundation (KADAV) and Diyarbakır Center for Research and Action on Women’s Issues (DİKASUM), two grassroots organizations born out of HREP – namely Çanakkale ELDER and the Van Women’s Association (VAKAD) – were brought on board as official program partners.
  • HREP started being implemented in 28 provinces as of October.
  • The new We Have Rights! booklet was published.

2003


  • We held our first HREP National Coordination Meeting in Istanbul.
  • Believing that a systematic study providing a holistic evaluation of HREP would prove beneficial to us, participants, group facilitators and partner organizations and offer a guiding framework in terms of how to structure and further develop the program in the future, we carried out an independent assessment, as a result of which the Human Rights Education Program for Women Evaluation Report was published.

2004


  • HREP was recognized as “one of the best tactics in human rights worldwide” as part of the New Tactics in Human Rights Program run by an international organization named the Center for Victims of Torture.
  • The Women’s Platform on the Turkish Penal Code was established with 30 organizations from different parts of Turkey in order to carry the Campaign for the Reform of the Turkish Penal Code from a Gender Perspective, which we had been coordinating for the past three years, to another level. The Campaign succeeded in changing the law’s perspective on women with amendments to 30 articles that brought women’s sexual and bodily rights under legal protection.

2005


  • The 5th HREP Training of Trainers was held with 20 women from 12 provinces.
  • HREP started including various local professionals as program participants such as policewomen in Antalya, health workers in Bursa, and teachers in Eskişehir.
  • HREP groups began forming solidarity and communication networks on the regional and national level.

2006


  • The 12-episode documentary “Purple Series” co-produced with NTV showcasing the stories of women who had transformed their lives with an increased awareness of their rights gained by participating in HREP, went on air.
  • The first issue of the Purple Newsletter, conceived as a space for HREP trainers, participants and partners to share their experiences, thoughts and feelings as well as news from their communities, came out.

2007


  • The official partnership protocol with the GDSS was extended for another 10 years.
  • The 3rd HREP National Evaluation and Coordination Meeting took place.
  • Working group meetings were held in order to update the HREP Training Manual.
  • The booklet titled We Have Sexual Rights in the Turkish Penal Code! was published.

2008


  • We held our 6th HREP Training of Trainers.
  • The Ayvalık Independent Women’s Initiative became one of our official program partners.
  • We held our Central Anatolia and Marmara Regional Coordination and Evaluation meetings.

2009


  • We held our Aegean, Mediterranean, Black Sea, Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia Regional Coordination and Evaluation meetings.
  • Our 15th Anniversary event took place in Ankara with the participation of government agencies.
  • We started new HREP groups in collaboration with Family Guidance and Counseling Bureaus run by the Presidency of Religious Affairs, with students of Quran courses as participants.
  • We implemented HREP with 720 women who had participated in vocational training courses offered by the Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR) as part of the Project on Active Labor Market Policies for Advancing Gender Equality through Decent Employment for Women in Turkey run jointly by İŞKUR and the International Labor Organization (ILO).

2010


  • The Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR) organized a day of action for the second year of its international, simultaneous “One Day, One Struggle” campaign. Organizing in widespread manner (in Istanbul, Van, Diyarbakır, Çanakkale, Muğla, Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, and Hatay) for this occasion, HREP participants declared that “Sexual rights are human rights!”
  • We updated the HREP Training Manual in accordance with recent developments.
  • The 7th HREP Training of Trainers was held, and seven new provinces along with Northern Cyprus joined the HREP network.
  • The book titled Towards Gender Equality in the Labor Market: Work-Family Life Reconciliation Policies (in Turkish) was published, highlighting the situation in Turkey in terms of work-family life reconciliation policies involving care services for family members in need of care such as children, the elderly, sick and disabled, as well as providing an overview of experiences from Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Korea and Mexico.

2011


  • The State Ministry for Women and Family Affairs and GDSS were replaced by the Ministry of Family and Social Policy (ASPB). Our partnership protocol with the GDSS in effect since 1998 for the implementation of HREP was therefore inherited by the new Ministry.
  • The second Independent Impact Assessment Study for HREP completed its field research, analysis and reporting stages.
  • We took part in the 14th Assembly of Women’s Shelters and Solidarity Centers with HREP trainers from various different provinces.

2011-2012


  • We played an active role in the Platform to End Violence, which was running the Campaign for a Law on the Protection of the Family and Prevention of Violence against Women. The Law was adopted on March 8th, 2012.
  • We were on the International Planning Committee for the 12th AWID Forum.

2012


  • Our Purple Newsletter that had become a regular publication in the past five years saw its 15th issue.
  • We held a HREP Evaluation and Coordination Meeting in which we planned out the next year’s HREP group activities and new collaborative ventures.
  • We participated in the 12th AWID Forum with 35 HREP trainers.
  • The Independent Impact Assessment Report on HREP was completed.
  • Seminars were delivered in collaboration with the ILO Turkey Office to 1200 women and men employed in factories and company offices in 3 separate provinces.

2013


  • The HREP Training Manual was updated.
  • The 8th HREP Training of Trainers took place with the participation of individual women as well as representatives from municipality-run women’s counseling centers and women’s organizations.
  • The total number of women who had participated in the HREP ToT reached 191.
  • HREP started being implemented in Northern Cyprus.
  • In addition to new municipalities, the Feminist Atelier (FEMA) in Northern Cyprus, the Antalya Women’s Counseling and Solidarity Center, and the Muş Women’s Roof Association became official HREP program partners.
  • A five-day training was provided to educators who were to deliver seminars as part of the project for the Empowerment of Women Farmers implemented in collaboration with the General Directorate on the Status of Women and the Union of Agricultural Chambers.
  • Employees of the Hakkari Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Policy were given a five-day training.

2014


  • The 20th Anniversary Special Issue of the Purple Newsletter was published for the 20th anniversary of WWHR.
  • The We Have Rights! booklet series was translated into Kurdish.
  • The Purple Series documentary was dubbed in Kurdish.
  • We launched our pilot dual language implementation of HREP.

2015


  • The number of women participating in HREP reached over 13 thousand.
  • A cooperation agreement was signed with the International Labor Organization (ILO) in order to provide rights awareness education to women receiving vocational training as part of the Project for More and Better Jobs for Women.
  • A HREP Camp was held with nearly 50 HREP trainers.

2016


  • The 9th HREP Training of Trainers was held with the participation of 24 women employed in 10 municipalities in the provinces of Izmir and Aydın and from independent women’s organizations.
  • The 10th HREP ToT was held in collaboration with the ILO.
  • The total number of women having participated in the HREP ToT reached 233.
  • The 10-module WHRT Training Manual was developed for the Project for More and Better Jobs for Women run in collaboration with the ILO.
  • A draft 10-module Training Manual was developed in collaboration with the Muş Women’s Roof Association for the Empowerment Program for Young Girls targeting girls aged 15-18.
  • The HREP Training Manual was updated.
  • The We Have Economic Rights! booklet was prepared, printed and disseminated as part of the We Have Rights! series.
  • HREP Partnership Protocols were signed with the Izmir Güzelbahçe Municipality, Seferihisar Municipality, Balçova Municipality, Gaziemir Municipality, Karşıyaka Municipality and Aydın Kuşadası Municipality.
  • The number of municipalities collaborating with WWHR for HREP field implementations reached 25.
  • The number of women participating in HREP exceeded 14 thousand with 750 groups in 56 provinces and Northern Cyprus.
  • 827 women took part in Women’s Human Rights Training (WHRT) groups run with certain municipalities in Ankara, Bursa and Istanbul in collaboration with the ILO.

2017


  • The 11th HREP Training of Trainers was conducted with 26 participants.
  • The number of women having participated in the HREP ToT hit 259.
  • HREP Partnership Protocols were signed with the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, Karabağlar Municipality (Izmir), Kadıköy Municipality (Istanbul) and Çankaya Municipality (Ankara). The number of municipalities that had signed the protocol thus reached 10.
  • 1345 women and men working in project partner municipalities and private companies participated in the 18 ‘I Support Equality’ seminars organized under the Project for More and Better Jobs for Women implemented in collaboration with the ILO.
  • Gender Equality Seminars were delivered to 450 women and men employed in the Çankaya Municipality, Kadıköy Municipality and Karabağlar Municipality.
  • The HREP Training Manual was updated.

2018


  • The number of women who took HREP reached over 15 thousand.
  • HREP Partnership Protocols were signed with the Narlıdere Municipality (Izmir), and Şişli and Avcılar Municipalities (Istanbul), the number of municipalities party to the protocol thus reaching 13.
  • The 11th HREP Training of Trainers Evaluation and Planning meeting took place.
  • Gender Equality Seminars were delivered to 450 women and men employed in our local partner organizations.
  • The field stage of our third Independent Impact Assessment Study for HREP was completed.
  • The HREP database program was remodeled and updated.

2019


  • Seminars were held on Gender Equality, Economic Rights and Communication.
  • The reporting phase of the third HREP Independent Impact Assessment Study was completed and the resulting report shared in Turkish and English with interested parties.
  • A partnership protocol was signed with Inditex, an international private company, according to which Seminars and HREP group trainings were started.
  • Workshops on feminist pedagogy were held in collaboration with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute.

2020


  • The number of women completing HREP reached over 16,000.
  • The number of Gender Equality Seminar beneficiaries reached over 3000.
  • 7 different seminar modules were prepared to adapt Gender Equality Seminars to an online format.
  • A three-day Orientation Training was held for our HREP trainers to equip them to deliver our seminars in an online setting.
  • “HREP Solidarity Talks” and “Somatic Experiencing” sessions were organized digitally for our HREP trainers during the pandemic.
  • 10 online Gender Equality Seminars were delivered to deputy directors at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
  • A partnership protocol was signed with the Turkish University Women’s Association (Türk Üniversiteli Kadınlar Derneği) regarding gender equality seminars to be organized for all of its members and scholarship holders.
  • “Social and Economic Rights” workshops were held with Roma women as part of the Project to Empower Roma Women, carried out jointly by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Turkish Family Health and Planning Foundation.

2021


  • The 12th HREP Training of Trainers was held with the participation of 25 women from 9 municipalities. The number of trainers in our pool of trainers reached 284.
  • We resumed HREP group activities which were on hold due to the epidemic.
  • The number of HREP Partnership Protocols signed with our program partners has increased to 18.
  • We conducted with 57 HREP trainers the necessary orientation and zoom trainings aimed for them to adapt Gender Equality Seminars online.
  • Gender Equality Seminars were delivered to more than 2500 women and men with the collaboration of our partners.
  • We restructured the content of our Gender Equality Seminars for women’s organizations, municipalities, and beneficiary groups.
  • The number of Gender Equality Seminar beneficiaries reached over 3000.