Turkish Human Rights Activists Awarded Finnish Government's Gender Equality Prize

HELSINKI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd November, 2021) The Turkish human rights platform We Will Stop Femicide has received the international prize for gender equality (IGEP), awarded once every two years by the Finnish government, the Finnish Cabinet said on Monday.

We Will Stop Femicide was founded in 2010 to provide legal help to Turkish women facing abuse at home. It has been chosen as the winner out of about 400 applicants.

"We are proud to announce the winner of the #IGEP 2021, WE WILL STOP FEMICIDE PLATFORM, a non-governmental organization that does groundbreaking work combating violence against women in Turkey and whose work has a global relevance. Congratulations!" the award's organizers posted on Twitter.

The prize, in the amount of 300,00 Euros ($337,000), was awarded in the Finnish city of Tampere to the founder of the organization, Gulsum Onal, by Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin.

"The work of the We Will Stop Femicide Platform includes decision meetings, educational activities, informative seminars, mass protests, and a variety of correspondence meetings. The association seeks to work with provincial and district assemblies to ensure gender equality nationwide in Turkey," Marin said.

She further stressed the importance of a global effort to end violence against women and called on the international community to ensure protection of women's rights in all countries.

Nobel Peace Laureate Nadia Murad also attended the ceremony.