It began as an online meeting, yet in reality, it marked the beginning of a transformative process.
Lawyers from the Bar Associations of Malatya, Van and Şanlıurfa came together on 24 February for the launch of the online HELP Course on Access to Justice for Women to reinforce their shared commitment to ensuring that justice is accessible to all women in Türkiye. These lawyers will provide legal aid and legal counselling in the legal aid clinics funded under the grant scheme jointly implemented by the Union of Turkish Bar Associations and the Council of Europe.
During the introductory meeting, participants were guided through the structure and objectives of the course, which offers a comprehensive overview of international and European standards on women’s access to justice, including relevant case law and good practices. Yet, the discussion quickly moved beyond legal texts.
Participants reflected on the lived realities behind legal procedures: a woman facing violence who encounters procedural obstacles instead of protection; a survivor who abandons a case because of social pressure. These are not abstract scenarios -they are daily challenges that legal professionals are uniquely positioned to address.
The session placed strong emphasis on the responsibility of lawyers to identify and address both legal and practical barriers that hinder women’s access to justice. Integrating a gender-sensitive perspective into everyday work was presented not as an optional approach, but as a fundamental element of effective legal service.
What started as an online gathering ended as a renewed commitment to delivering gender-sensitive, rights-based legal aid and counselling.
The “Fostering Civil Society Participation and Capacity Building in Access to Justice in Türkiye” Programme is co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe. As part of the Programme, the Gender Equality division is implementing the project “Fostering civil society's support for women's access to justice in Türkiye”.
