The Turkish Green party are marking the event by supporting the Turkish Femnist network, who have been working to combat the increase in violence against women over the last year in their country.

"We are, as the women who live in Turkey, shouting our voice on the streets for 11 years, calling out  against patriarchy, against men's violence, sexism, heterosexism, capitalism, militarism and war; at the night marches of 8th of March. Since the last 8th of March, it has been a year which has passed with increasing violence against woman. Everyday, we read about another femicide on the news. Everyday three women are killed in Turkey. The murderers and the rapists receive no punishments.

"Taksim, where we as women in Istanbul go on resisting and existing in spite of the police violence and all the preventions, repeating that " we are not leaving these streets and nights", is now under police blockade. On these streets, where we have been calling out to the world for women’s freedom for 11 years, we are now faced with the threat of the police violence, harrasment and tear gas for the upcoming 8th of March.

"We, as the women who were on the streets in Gezi Resistance, challenged to the sexist policies of the state. We directly came across with violence and sexual harassment of the police while resisting. We are calling the women from all around the world, to call out for the freedom of women, to call out against  the possible police violence and for solidarity; even though they can not be with us in Taksim. We are going to pass the police barricades in Taksim together."

Find out more about how the Turkish Greens are supporting Turkish women here.  

The European Greens support these powerful words, and offer their support to women everywhere.