Generation Equality Starts with You

10 women and 1 man who have challenged gender roles in their fields, paved the way to achieve gender equality and have been working for a better world shared their gender equality journeys with Istanbulites in 20 photos, 20 seconds format. Organized jointly by UN Women and Beşiktaş Municipality at Kethüda Hammam in Ortaköy, İstanbul, “Generation Equality Starts with You” event was attended by a large crowd.

Role models shared their stories in PechaKucha format with 20 photographs, each 20 seconds. Experts in different fields such as actress, director and screenwriter Gupse Özay, Turkey’s first woman truck driver Leyla Ağaçkoparan, and entrepreneur Ilgın Yazgan who designs clothes for breastfeeding moms, recounted their stories and shared how they also contribute to women and girl’s empowerment.

Opened by Vice Chairperson of Women and Family Department of Beşiktaş Municipality Zeynep Karaman and UN Women Country Director Asya Varbanova, the event continued with the opening of “Equality through Generations in Turkey” interactive wall exhibition which displays milestones in gender equality and women’s rights in Turkey’s history. “Equality through Generations in Turkey” interactive wall exhibition, created by UN Women with the support of Beşiktaş Municipality, will be open to visit until 11th of March at Kethüda Hammam in Ortaköy, İstanbul.

Share your story

Displaying achievements in women’s rights in a chronological order beginning from the Ottoman Empire, the interactive wall exhibition invited the visitors to complete the exhibition with their own stories. Women, men, girls and boys, visitors share their gender equality journey on the interactive wall where empty spaces are left intentionally for visitors to fill in. Visitors will be able to hang objects, insert memories, photographs or attach a memory to the wall and complete Turkey’s gender equality journey through their stories. The exhibition will stay open until Wednesday, 11th of March.

Generation Equality

UN Women invites all generations to join forces and act together for an equal future in 2020 under Generation Equality campaign, a turning point in the empowerment of women and girls and achieving gender equality. 2020 is the 25th anniversary of Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most visionary agenda for the empowerment of women and girls across the globe. Throughout 2020, UN Women will organize events on a global scale, brining men and women from different generations, geographies, cultures to join forces for achieving gender equality.

“Change is urgently needed for Generation Equality”

In her opening speech, UN Women Country Director Asya Varbanova stressed that despite the achievements in gender equality over the past 25 years, no country can say that they have achieved gender equality completely. Varbanova said “Change is urgently needed for Generation Equality. It is only possible if everyone joins forces and acts with determination and courage. We can build an equal future for women and girls and for all of us."

Vice Chairperson of Women and Family Department of Beşiktaş Municipality Belediyesi Zeynep Karaman drew attention to UN Women’s “Light the Dark Campaign” aiming to end violence against women and girls in public spaces and the partnership UN Women has with Beşiktaş Municipality. Karaman remarked that Beşiktaş Municipality has taken actions to install sufficient lighting to areas mentioned in UN Women’s campaign. In her speech, Karaman stressed that Beşiktaş Municipality is gratified with the ongoing collaboration with UN Women and said “"8th of March commemorates the fight women are fighting in all fields of life. The purple wave enfolding the world today is a sign of both the gravity of gender inequalities and that of the ever-growing solidarity among women. In different countries of the world, women are struggling for equal pay for equal work, equal rights and opportunities, and ending harassment and violence, male domination over the female body. I respectfully commemorate all women who have worked hard in the history of gender equality and women's movement. I salute all women who have come before us and are with us today who are fighting the fight for gender equality."

The speakers have a message!

11 role models have messages for everyone,

Actress, Director, Screenwriter Gupse Özay: "I salute all women who choose to make peace instead of fighting each other!"

Persevering Lawyer, Canan Arın: "We must achieve gender equality!”

National Team Athelete, Olympic Athlete, Gender Equality Advocate Eda Tuğsuz: "Women and girls have the right to be empowered!"

Women’s Future Committee Member, Volunteer, Rights Advocate Gayed Sened: “I believe the world will be a better place if moms teach their children to be strong. We should focus, fly to the future and light the dark like fireflies.”

Women’s Rights Activist, YAKA-KOOP Volunteer Gülmay Gümüşhan: “The needle won’t thread and the scissor won’t shear when it comes to early marriages.”

Involved Fatherhood, Equality, Equality for All Children Activist Hasan Deniz: "Men should transform themselves on the road to achieving gender equality."

Entrepreneur, Woman, CEO Ilgın Özdemir Yazgan: "Everything starts with a strong and happy mother. Because only the happy children she raises can change the world."

Turkey's first FIFA licensed woman referee, First Woman Volleyball Trainer, Academician Doç. Dr. Lale Orta: "Every woman has a right to equal opportunities in sports and physical activities for high-level performance and to stay healthy."

Turkey's First Woman Truck Driver Leyla Ağaçkoparan: "They tried to put obstacles before me. I entered the exam 15 times and I finally got my license. Do not lose heart, we will achieve equality."

SADA Women’s Cooperative Member, Activist, Entrepreneur Girişimci, Nazire Öztürk:  "Us women can come together in solidarity to empower each other.”