Women’s Solidarity Foundation

Women’s Solidarity Foundation is an independent feminist women’s organisation that works to prevent violence against women. Its official founding date is 1993, however, its roots date back to the Women’s Debate Group which was established by a group of women activists in 1987. Before its official recognition, the foundation opened the Women’s Counselling Centre in Ankara in 1991 with cooperation from Altındağ Council, which was the first case of cooperation between a women’s organisation and a local authority in Turkey. The shelter which was opened in 1993, again in cooperation with Altındağ Council, was the first independent women’s shelter in Turkey.

The foundation provides support at the Women’s Counselling Centre for women who have experienced violence as they require, based on their account of events, without judgement, and with the understanding of “solidarity” rather than “aid”. The foundation joined the National Taskforce Against Human Trafficking in 2005, and it began to work to influence politics in the field and to stand in solidarity with women who were victims of trafficking through the shelter it opened the same year. The foundation contributes to the societal change to eradicate the legitimacy of violence by raising awareness regarding the struggle to end violence by means of efforts targeting the public and the media. Furthermore, workshops and classes held on various topics help raise awareness amongst women who wish to become foundation volunteers and staff who work in the field.