Original language: German
Dear friends of Anne Klein,
dear Nebahat Akkoc,
dear Sibel Kekilli,
dear guests,
Anne Klein and Nebahat Akkoc never met in their lifetimes. But we are certain that they would have gotten along well. And that Anne Klein would have been delighted to honor Nebahat Akkoc as the fourth recipient of the Anne Klein Women’s Award.
Not only did they both just celebrate their birthdays—Anne turned 65, Nebahat 60—but what connects them is their work against discrimination and violence against women in everyday life and during armed conflicts.
“Feminism is taking hold in Kurdish regions”—this is good news for Nebahat and for all of us amid the depressing news coming from the politically and militarily tense region where Nebahat is from. Violence in the name of ethnicity, nation, religion, and gender is part of Nebahat Akkoc’s life experience.
I’d also like to take a moment this year to share how much of a difference the Anne Klein Women’s Award makes. As a reminder: last year, the award went to Imelda Maruffo Nava from Ciudad Juárez on the Mexican-U.S. border. The award brought her significant public attention in Mexico itself in her fight against impunity. All major media outlets reported on it. Moreover, last fall, Imelda Maruffo received the Mexico City Human Rights Award. This provides protection for Imelda and her courageous fellow activists, who refuse to accept that violent crimes in Mexico go unpunished.
Nebahat Akkoc comes from Diyarbakir, a city and region that has been marked by war and violence for many decades. A hundred years ago, the military of the Ottoman Empire, in close collaboration with the German Empire, exterminated the Armenian population in this region. Not a single family has been spared by the Kurdish conflict of the past 30 years. And today, hundreds of thousands of people from the neighboring countries of Iraq and Syria are seeking protection and refuge in this region from the violent excesses of the Assad regime and the Islamic State.
Violence against women is ubiquitous in Turkey. According to women’s rights groups, it has actually increased—not decreased—in recent years. But finally, people across Turkey are protesting against this violence. The murder of psychology student Özgecan Aslan on February 11, 2015, following an attempted rape, was the last straw. Özgecan was murdered on a bus while on her way home. Her fate was to be the last person left alone on the bus.
Women’s rights groups estimate that at least two women fall victim to violence and are murdered every day in Turkey. The nationwide protests against Özgecan’s murder also turned into protests against the Turkish government. The government indirectly blames the women themselves: after all, they wear miniskirts, laugh too openly…—women are to blame when violence is inflicted upon them. We see this pattern in every region of the world, including here at home.
Feminist organizations that campaign against violence against women are often subjected to particular repression and hostility. They find themselves caught between a rock and a hard place. Nebahat Akkoc recounts this in her book *Feminism in a State of Emergency* (2012), as well as in numerous interviews and documentaries.
Every day, Nebahat supports women and girls who are victims of violence and humiliation. Together with her fellow activists, she founded the first center—KAMER—to combat violence against women in the Kurdish regions of Turkey about 20 years ago.
Incidentally, KAMER’s early days are also closely linked to the beginnings of the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Turkey. When we opened our office in Istanbul back then and met Nebahat, we were impressed by the courage of the women who, during those very difficult times of the Kurdish conflict, drew attention to violence against women.
Today, we support both the peace process in Turkey and the women who are contributing to it. We stand alongside KAMER and other women’s rights organizations such as Mor Cati (Purple Roof) in the Kurdish regions and throughout Turkey. We support them in their work to combat violence against women and to advance the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people wherever we can.
Anne Klein wanted to inspire women even after her death. The award is meant to encourage the next step toward a world free of discrimination and violence.
The Anne Klein Women’s Award presented to Nebahat Akkoc is intended to send a political message in support of women’s rights and against forced marriages in Turkey. We stand in solidarity with her and her many fellow activists—not just today. Our office in Istanbul will continue to stand alongside Nebahat Akkoc in the future and support her cause as best we can.
Dear Nebahat, the jury and all of us are truly delighted that you are our 2015 award recipient!
Thank you very much!
