Women have always been present in the demonstrations.

Şükran Doğan

Trade Union of Employees in Public Health and Social Services – SES, İzmir, 1990’s; Ankara, 2000’s

On one occasion, we marched to Ankara in five routes. I was in the central office then; the roads were blocked. Entrance to the Kızılay square was banned. They were taking the ones in the streets into custody. We reached Kızılay, despite all hindrances. Women have always been present in such demonstrations. Then we had to get involved in hand-to-hand struggle with the police forces. Thus we needed physical force, too. Perhaps because of this it was the men who stood in the front.  But women never fled. When we struggled against the pseudo Law on Unions many of our women friends were hospitalised. Women were very good in the strikes in the health sector. Very many were in a leading position. I know a woman friend who walked through a hospital and had the people go down to join the strike on her own.

To read the full text of Şükran Doğan’s oral history interview of 2016 (in Turkish) click here.