Several women’s groups and professional chambers active in Van launched the campaign under the slogan “We are organizing to live and make sure others live,” aiming to defend women’s rights and shed light on deaths of women under suspicious circumstances. The campaign kicked off on Monday at a press conference at the Van Bar Association’s Tahir Elçi Conference Hall. The campaign will last three months, during which various activities will be organized.
The press statement was read out by STAR Women’s Association representative Meryem Aslan. She noted that in recent years Van has become one of the provinces with the highest number of femicides and suspicious deaths. Highlighting the influence of drug and prostitution gangs in the region, Aslan said: “These structures have become a direct threat targeting women’s right to life.”
Aslan stressed that women’s deaths are often recorded as “suicide” and that perpetrators are protected. She noted that at least four women had lost their lives in the past week alone: “These figures represent only the cases that reach the public. With the unseen and covered-up murders, the numbers are far higher. This reality proves that no woman is safe.”
Aslan said women are left isolated under policies of impunity, emphasizing that the campaign being launched is not just a reaction but a permanent line of struggle. “Our aim is to defend women’s right to life, oppose policies that protect perpetrators, strengthen solidarity, and ensure that every case is investigated effectively and transparently.”