To mark 25 November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, demonstrations have been organised in Paris, Copenhagen and Geneva.

PARIS



The Noustoutes Initiative, made up of 70 women's organizations including the French Kurdish Women's Movement, led hundreds of women in Paris to march against violence.

Hundreds of women gathered at the Opera Square and walked to Republique Square, chanting slogans like “Woman, Life, Freedom’, ‘No violence against women’, ‘Violence against women is political’.



In order to draw attention to the increasing violence against women in the world, a large number of banners carried by women underlined and commended the brave struggle of Kurdish women against DAESH.



The demo also remembered Sakine Cansız, one of the founding members of the PKK murdered in Paris, together with Kurdish women activists Fidan Doğan and Leyla Şaylamez, whose photos were carried by activists in the march. 



In the speeches delivered in Republique Square, attention was drawn to the increasing violence against women in many parts of the world.

Women were urged to raise the struggle in every area of ​​life.



COPENHAGEN


To mark 25 November Day women gathered in the Danish capital, Copenhagen, marching from Vesterbros Torv street to the municipality square.

During the march, women chanted the slogan ‘Jin, Jiyan Azadî’ (Woman, Life, Freedom) and underlined how violence against women was a political choice and tool. 


Saime Bilen delivered a speech on behalf of the Seve Women's Council in the rally held after the march.

She drew attention to how women are victims of violence in all areas of life. She added that women should be organized against violence, and pointed at the example given by Kurdish women's struggle in the mountains of Rojava and Kurdistan.


Bilen reminded and saluted HDP Hakkari MP, Leyla Güven, who is on hunger strike in prison. “We must support the action of Leyla Güven everywhere we are”, said Bilen. 

GENEVA

Hundreds of women rallied in Geneva, Switzerland to mark 25 November and protest violence against women.

The women gathered in front of the Unimail campus of the University of Geneva and walked from there to the city center. The march, supported by the City of Geneva, was joined by numerous feminist organizations.


Women carried the banner saying ‘No to violence against women’ also chanted slogans such as, ‘My body, my choice’.

During the march the song by French artist Edith Piaf, ‘La vie en rose’ was sang by women.