For All Women and Girls: Yakın Ertürk on why it is important to build peace with women at the table
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Yakın Ertürk, a long-time advocate for women’s rights, has played a key role in shaping gender equality discourse in Türkiye and internationally. Photo: UN Women/ Ali Saltan
#ForAllWomenandGirls is a rallying call for action on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. In 2025, the world marks 30 years since the landmark 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. Yakın Ertürk, an internationally recognized human rights advocate, academic, and former UN Special Rapporteur, reflects on the long road to gender equality and explains why women’s participation in peace and conflict negotiations is essential for a sustainable and just future.
A voice for justice in international human rights
Yakın Ertürk is known globally for her decades of work advancing human rights and gender equality. A sociologist and former professor at Middle East Technical University (METU), she has held senior UN roles, including Director of UN INSTRAW and the Division for the Advancement of Women, UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, and member of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria.
Her work has taken her to some of the world’s most conflict-affected contexts, where she investigated and documented serious human rights violations, with particular attention to violence against women. Throughout her career, Ertürk has consistently argued that women’s lived experiences must be at the centre of both conflict resolution and policymaking. “Human rights are not just abstract principles,” she explains. “They are about the everyday realities of people - especially women - on the ground.”
At Beijing 1995: Setting the foundation
As a participant in the 1995 Beijing Conference, Ertürk recalls the momentum and global energy that surrounded the event. For her, Beijing was not only about formal commitments, but also about shaping a shared vision for women’s rights, one that still resonates today. “Beijing created a sense of urgency and direction. It gave us a powerful platform that we’ve been building on for the past three decades,” she says.
She highlights that the spirit of Beijing went beyond declarations, centring on strategic negotiation and global consensus-building in complex political environments. “It was a rare moment when multilateralism truly worked in favor of women’s rights,” she reflects.
Women as essential actors in peace and conflict resolution
Ertürk’s extensive experience in UN missions and investigations has shown her firsthand the gendered dimensions of conflict and the critical need for women’s participation in peacebuilding. Yet, despite clear evidence of their impact, women continue to be systematically excluded from peace negotiations around the world.
“When women are involved, we see broader agendas being addressed - education, justice, reconciliation, community needs,” she explains. “Excluding women is not just a rights issue; it’s a failure in designing sustainable peace.”
She emphasizes that women negotiators often move discussions beyond power-sharing arrangements towards long-term societal transformation. Drawing from her time with the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, she adds: “In post-conflict scenarios, the absence of women means impunity persists and violence shifts into private spaces.”
Sustaining rights in politically shifting landscapes
30 years after Beijing, Ertürk notes that progress is fragile. She points to shrinking civic space, growing authoritarianism, and backlash against gender equality. “We are at a crossroads,” she warns. “There is both progress and regression. Gains can be reversed if we are not vigilant.”
In many contexts, the language of women’s rights is being replaced by discourses of security and nationalism, often sidelining women’s voices. In these moments, Ertürk argues, international solidarity and accountability become even more important. “We must insist on our language, the language of human rights, justice, and inclusion,” she says.
Looking ahead: A call for strategic feminist action
As we mark three decades since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, Ertürk calls for strategic, informed, and united feminist movements that can respond to today’s complex challenges. She encourages younger generations to see themselves not only as activists but also as negotiators, analysts, and builders of new systems.
“Feminism must remain politically relevant and capable of shaping policy,” she states. From local councils to peace negotiations and national parliaments, she believes women must continue to claim their seat at every table.
For ALL women and girls, Yakın Ertürk’s message is clear: rights must be claimed, defended, and redefined by every generation.
