Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR) was founded in December 1993, inspired by the success of the international women’s human rights movement at the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna with the aim of advancing women’s human rights in Turkey and around the globe. In 1999, WWHR co-founded an international NGO called NEW WAYS-The International Alliance for Social Innovation and also works as its liaison office in Turkey.

WWHR’s mission is to promote women’s human rights and to support the active and broad participation of women as free individuals and equal citizens in the establishment and maintenance of a democratic and peaceful order at national, regional and international levels.

WWHR has always used a multi-pronged approach in its aim to promote the leadership of women and the advancement of women’s human rights in Turkey, in the MENA region and in the world. To this end, WWHR employs a variety of methods including advocacy and lobbying; human rights education programs for women; publications aimed at women of various literacy levels; action-research; conferences; and national and international networking.

On the national level, WWHR has reached thousands of women across all regions of Turkey through its Women’s Human Rights Training Program and disseminated information on women’s legal, sexual and reproductive rights with its outreach materials to many more. WWHR plays a significant role in the struggle for legal changes in Turkey aiming at eliminating discrimination against women. On the international level, WWHR is an active participant in UN processes and has organized numerous international and regional conferences.

WWHR initiates and implements programs (in cooperation with other NGOs or governmental agencies) which aim at:

Linking local, national and international efforts to advance gender equality and social justice

Promoting widespread human rights education in Turkey through the implementation of WWHR’s Women’s Human Rights Training Program

Enabling women to create their own strategies to mobilize at the grassroots level through the Women’s Human Rights Training Program

Initiating legal, policy and social change towards human rights, women’s human rights, democratization and peace-building through advocacy and lobbying tools such as action alerts, extensive use of both mainstream and alternative media, public or other targeted campaigns, and networks at national and international levels

Disseminating information and raising consciousness through outreach materials and publications on selected human rights issues

Facilitating information-exchange, solidarity and mutual support on issues of common interest by networking with NGOs and activist groups in Turkey and in other countries.