Mor Çatı Foundation

The Mor Çatı Foundation (Mor Çatı Kadın Sığınağı Vakfı) is a prominent Turkish non-governmental organization that works to combat gender-based violence and provide shelter and support services to women and children affected by domestic violence. The foundation is founded in Istanbul in 1990, Mor Çatı has been central to the feminist movement in Turkey, advocating for legal protections and public awareness of women's rights across the country.

Mor Çatı's Logo

History

Mor Çatı was founded in Istanbul in 1990 by a group of feminist activists, including Nebahat Akkoç, in response to the severe lack of resources and institutional support for women experiencing domestic violence. Turkey had limited legal protections for women facing abuse, and societal awareness of gender-based violence was minimal. Inspired by the growing Turkish feminist movement of the late 1980s, Mor Çatı's goal was to create both a safe space for survivors and a platform for advancing gender equality in Turkey. Since its inception, Mor Çatı has remained focused on providing shelter to women and children, offering both immediate crisis supports and long-term rehabilitation services to survivors. The organization has overcome numerous challenges, including legal and societal pushback, to establish itself as a key player in the Turkish feminist movement and a pioneer in advocating for comprehensive women's rights.

Help center

Volunteer work

Anyone can support Mor Çatı foundation and the feminist movement by being volunteers. The only pre-requisites are attending to the meetings and workshops. These meeting and workshops are aiming to raise awareness about domestic violence.

Psychological support

Psychological counseling is provided at Mor Çatı to overcome the hopelessness, guilt, shame and fear that come with experiencing violence and to create new life options. Conducting spiritual studies is important for women and children in terms of being recognized, seen, heard and providing a safe space. First of all, it is expected that everyone working in this field will not believe that any woman provokes violence or deserves it. In short, psychologists who will support women who are subjected to violence should have a female perspective.

Legal support

The big majority of women who are subjected to violence do not know their legal rights and how to use them. These needs of women are met with the legal consultancy provided by our volunteer lawyers. Women are informed about which laws they can benefit from when they are subjected to violence, what legal path and process they should follow, and how they can access free legal support if they are financially inadequate. A very common situation in the field of law is that even the positive provisions in existing laws cannot be implemented due to the non-female approach of the implementers. Therefore, it is of great importance for legal consultants to have a female perspective.

Shelters

Shelters are places where women exposed to male violence can stay with their children and receive the social, psychological, legal, etc. support they need to build an independent life away from violence. Mor Çatı has carried out 3 separate shelter projects to this day and provided shelter support to over 1000 women and children. The first of these was carried out between 1995 and 1998 being the first independent women's shelter in Istanbul. Mor Çatı has been continuing its independent shelter activities since March 2009 with the support it receives from organizations and sponsors such as municipalities and the European Commission.

Workshops

Sharing the knowledge and experiences gained through solidarity with women, creating awareness, and promoting feminist methods in combating violence against women are some of Mor Çatı's fundamental goals. This sharing and transmission of experiences takes place through various workshops. To become a Mor Çatı volunteer, everyone must first and foremost attend our volunteer workshop. These workshops are given to public institutions such as bar associations and municipalities for the sharing of knowledge and experience. The number of workshops held jointly with other women's options is close to 100.

Key campaigns and achievements

Mor Çatı has been a prominent advocate for critical legal reforms, including Law No. 6284, which provides protection measures for women and children facing domestic violence. This law represents a significant achievement in Turkish legislative history and a direct result of years of lobbying by Mor Çatı and similar organizations. Law No. 6284 provides women with emergency shelter access, legal protection orders, and social services to help them escape situations of violence. The foundation is supported many women seeking help to escape violent situations and secure housing, often needing to challenge misinformed officials who incorrectly deny them financial aid. Mor Çatı provides guidance to ensure these women access the correct protections under the law, underscoring the importance of advocacy for consistent application of these rights​.

Additionally, Mor Çatı has been a vocal proponent of the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty aimed at preventing and combating violence against women. When Turkey controversially withdrew from the convention in 2021, Mor Çatı launched a high-profile digital campaign opposing the decision and rallied public support across social media platforms. The campaign not only raised awareness but also mobilized Turkish citizens to advocate for the protection of women's rights.

As one of Turkey leading feminist organizations, Mor Çatı plays an integral role in the Turkish feminist movement, addressing not only immediate support needs but also systemic issues that perpetuate violence against women. The foundation collaborates with other Turkish and international organizations, contributing to both local and global feminist discourses that challenge patriarchal structures and advocate for societal reform. Mor Çatı's initiatives go beyond shelters and crisis intervention; the organization actively engages in public education and policy advocacy to shape Turkish society's understanding of gender-based violence. The foundation also conducts public campaigns and workshops, seeking to challenge ingrained societal norms that tolerate or excuse violence. For example, when the murder rate of women skyrocketed by 1,400 percent between 2002 and 2009. Mor Çatı created a video attempted to raise awareness of violence toward women in a public way. The group placed large posters of women jumping for joy, their arms and legs splayed out beyond the frame's borders, all around Istanbul. The text next to the women reads, "I want to live in freedom."

Mor Çatı's digital activism has become increasingly influential, with the foundation utilizing social media campaigns, online resources, and webinars to educate the public about gender-based violence and the systemic changes needed to support survivors. Through this work, Mor Çatı has established itself as a prominent force in feminist activism, pushing for a society where women can live without fear of violence.

See also

• Women in Turkey
• Feminism
• Feminist movement