Ms. Global: Women in Turkey Protest Teen Femicides, South Korea Rules Misogyny as Hate Crime, and More

The U.S. ranks as the 19th most dangerous country for women, 11th in maternal mortality, 30th in closing the gender pay gap, 75th in women’s political representation, and painfully lacks paid family leave and equal access to health care. But Ms. has always understood: Feminist movements around the world hold answers to some of the U.S.’ most intractable problems. Ms. Global is taking note of feminists worldwide.

Turkey

+ Femicides of two teens ignite call for stricter anti-violence laws

The brutal murders of İkbal Uzuner and Ayşegül Halil, both 19, have sparked outrage in Turkey, prompting President Erdoğan to consider tougher legislation against violence toward women.

On October 5, the We Will Stop Femicide Platform organized a protest at the Adrianople Gate in Istanbul’s Fatih district, where Semih Çelik murdered and decapitated Uzuner before taking his own life. Demonstrators displayed banners reading “We will end impunity. We will stop the harassment and murder” at the site of the crime.

Women hold a banner and placards during a protest against violence against women and femicide on Oct. 19, 2024 in Istanbul. (Photo by Onur Dogman/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Activists revealed that Çelik had previously killed Halil in the Eyüpsultan district, highlighting a troubling trend in Turkey’s increasing femicide rates. According to the We Will Stop Femicide Platform, at least 300 women were murdered in Turkey in 2021 alone.

The government has faced growing pressure from women’s rights organizations and the public to take decisive action. In response to the national outcry, Erdoğan’s administration has indicated a willingness to reassess existing laws and implement stronger protections for women. 

South Korea

+ South Korean court declares misogyny a hate crime motive in groundbreaking ruling

A South Korean court officially recognized misogyny as a motive for hate crime on October 17. This landmark ruling marks the first instance in which a Korean court has explicitly identified misogyny as a condemnable motive in a criminal case.

The ruling stems from an November 2023 attack on a female convenience store employee, who was assaulted by a man shouting “feminists deserve to be beaten,” who had allegedly attacked her because of her short hair. The victim lost hearing in her left ear and has remained unemployed since the incident, according to activists.

The Changwon District Court upheld the assailant’s three-year prison sentence, explicitly labeling the crime as motivated by misogyny. A court spokesperson condemned the 24-year-old attacker’s actions as stemming from “unfounded hatred and prejudice against women.”

“This decision makes it clear that statements like ‘feminists deserve to be beaten’ are rooted in misogyny,” said Lee Gyeong-ha, the victim’s lawyer, in a statement to AFP.

This ruling comes amid ongoing debates about gender equality in South Korea. President Yoon Suk-yeol previously claimed that women do not face “systemic gender discrimination,” despite persistent wage gaps and workforce disparities. 

Democratic Republic of the Congo

+ UN report reveals 80 percent of women in DR Congo’s Makala prison victims of sexual violence

An internal report from the United Nations Population Fund has revealed that nearly 80 percent of women held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Makala prison are survivors of rape and sexual violence. The report, obtained by Human Rights Watch and first reported by Reuters, found that out of 348 women incarcerated, 268 have experienced such violence, with 17 of them under the age of 19.

The report follows a deadly incident on September 2, when violence erupted during an attempted prison break, resulting in 129 deaths and 59 injuries, as announced by Congolese Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani. He confirmed reports of sexual assaults during the incident. A female inmate recounted witnessing these assaults and noted the lack of adequate healthcare following the violence.

While some survivors received timely post-rape care, including emergency contraception and HIV prevention treatments, comprehensive counseling support was not made available until Sept. 11, leaving many without necessary mental health resources.

Sexual violence is a pervasive issue within Congolese prisons. A 2020 riot at Kasapa Central Prison in Lubumbashi resulted in male inmates raping multiple female prisoners after a fire forced them into an unsecured yard for three days. A trial held 16 months later failed to hold perpetrators accountable.

In response to the September 2 incident, Shabani announced the formation of a mixed commission to investigate the events at Makala. However, this commission must confront significant challenges, particularly regarding how the government can effectively address sexual violence and ensure the dignity and safety of women and girls in Congolese prisons.

Poland

+ Polish doctor faces trial for assisting abortions amid ongoing reproductive rights crisis

A Polish gynecologist, Maria Kubisa, went on trial on October 17 in Szczecin, facing charges of assisting abortions that could land her in prison for up to three years. This case highlights the ongoing struggle over Poland’s stringent abortion laws, which have been a point of political contention.

Despite Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centrist Civic Coalition pledging to liberalize abortion laws, the government has struggled to secure enough parliamentary support for reform. Kubisa is accused of distributing abortion pills to patients, a charge she denies. Her trial is closed to the public, according to court spokesman Michal Tomala.

A picture of a deceased woman, named Agnieszka, is hold during a protest in front of the Law and Justice (PiS) ruling party office against the abortion ban. Krakow, Poland on January 26, 2022. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The case gained attention after Polish special services raided Kubisa’s practice in January 2023, seizing medical records for around 6,000 patients — a move condemned by women’s rights groups as a violation of patient confidentiality. In November, prosecutors filed five charges against her for assisting in pregnancy terminations, which have been politically charged since the 2020 ruling that instituted a near-total ban on abortions in Poland.

“The terror against women continues,” Kubisa told the Gazeta Wyborcza daily, reflecting the ongoing battle over reproductive rights in the country, where legal abortions are allowed only in cases of sexual assault, incest, or when the mother’s life is at risk. Currently, there are no penalties for women who self-administer abortions with pills obtained online.

Afghanistan

+  European Court of Justice grants asylum rights to Afghan women based on gender and nationality

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on October 4 that gender and nationality are sufficient grounds for granting asylum to women from Afghanistan, where the Taliban has severely restricted women’s rights. This decision came after two Afghan women challenged Austria’s refusal to grant them refugee status, with one applying in 2015 and the other in 2020.

The ECJ stated that it is not necessary to prove a specific risk of persecution upon returning to Afghanistan. Instead, the court emphasized that an applicant’s nationality and gender alone warrant consideration for asylum.

Since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in 2021, they have imposed stringent limitations on women’s rights, including access to education and employment. In August 2023, the regime enforced new morality laws in line with sharia, leading to widespread detentions for violations.

This picture taken on December 25, 2022 shows student Marwa protesting alone against the ban on women’s higher education, outside the Kabul University as members of Taliban stand guard in Kabul. (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

The United Nations has condemned these laws as “egregious,” asserting they aim to reduce women to shadows in society. The case involved two women: one, referred to as AH, fled to Iran with her family after her father attempted to sell her; the other, FN, was born in Iran and has never lived in Afghanistan. FN’s family lived without residence permits, leaving her without access to education or work. FN expressed fears of abduction and inability to support herself if she returned to Afghanistan.

This ruling represents a significant shift in asylum policy, highlighting the vulnerabilities faced by women in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Italy

+ Italy criminalizes surrogacy from abroad

Italy passed a law on October 6 criminalizing the pursuit of surrogacy abroad, a move that critics argue targets LGBTQ+ families and undermines reproductive rights. The conservative government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, claims the law is intended to protect women’s dignity, despite already having made surrogacy illegal within Italy.

This legislation aims to penalize Italians who seek surrogacy in countries where it remains legal, such as parts of the United States. The new law, supported by 84 senators and opposed by 58, has sparked panic among gay couples, many of whom view it as a direct assault on their ability to start families. Pierre Molena, who is pursuing surrogacy with his partner, described the law as “like a truck hitting us in the face” to the New York Times.

Supporters of the law, including Senator Carolina Varchi, have framed it as a fight against what they term “LGBT ideology.” However, experts warn that the sweeping nature of the law may lead to constitutional challenges, as it could penalize actions that are legal in other countries and disrupt diplomatic relations.

Italy already has one of the lowest birth rates in Europe, and this law further complicates family planning for both heterosexual and gay couples. Critics argue it stigmatizes children born through surrogacy, who are already part of Italian society. Liberal lawmakers have contended that the law disregards the medical nature of surrogacy and its necessity for many couples facing infertility.

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About

Wakaba Oto is an editorial intern at Ms. and is completing her undergraduate degree in English and journalism at Fordham University. She is passionate about investigative journalism, with a focus on uncovering misconduct in government and corporate sectors. She has roots in Amsterdam and Tokyo.