The SES Equality and Solidarity Association has announced the candidates for the fifth SES Women of the Year Awards. Forty individuals and groups from Turkey and around the world, selected by an advisory board of academics, activists and civil society leaders, will compete for the award through public voting.
The SES Equality and Solidarity Association has shortlisted 40 individuals and groups from Turkey and around the world as candidates for the SES Women of the Year 2025 Awards, now in its fifth year.
The 2025 award recipients will be chosen through a participatory voting process, with the twelve candidates receiving the highest number of votes recognised as winners.
Gülseren Onanç, the founding president of the SES Equality and Solidarity Association, summarised the candidate selection process as follows:
“2025 has been a year marked by war, genocide, and increased pressure from right-wing authoritarian governments against women’s and LGBTIQ movements. The SES Women of the Year 2025 nominees are those who, through their solidarity and resistance, and by lending their voice to peace, brought light to this dark year. We selected our candidates from Turkey and around the world based on the movements that came to the forefront in 2025.”
Please find the voting survery here.
Key movements that stood out in 2025
The candidates were selected based on the key movements that came to prominence in 2025. These include:
Solidarity with Palestine
University students and academics who raised their voices against Israel’s genocide of Palestinians and protested calling for their governments to take action against Israel. Human rights activists who joined the flotilla attempting to reach Gaza by sea to open a humanitarian aid corridor. Groups pressing for peace in both Israel and Palestine. Palestine solidarity protests rising worldwide.
Resistance of dissidents against authoritarian regimes
Resistance has emerged across the world against repressive authoritarian systems. This year, the standout movements were Gen Z uprisings in Madagascar, Nepal, Morocco, and Kenya. A new wave of protests rapidly mobilised through digital networks was evident in four countries in 2025. In Nepal, especially in September, bans on social media platforms and allegations of corruption led youth to mass demonstrations took hold. Student reactions began on university campuses quickly spread into town squares, transforming into demands for accountability. In Kenya, protests led by young people in June and July focused on worsening economic conditions and claims of police violence. In Madagascar, youth anger fuelled by water and electricity outages triggered large-scale protests that placed serious political pressure on the government. In Morocco, young people organised under the name GenZ 212 mobilised nationwide against inequalities in health and education services. In the United States, protests against Trump’s anti-immigrant and anti-democratic policies (e.g. No King) took place. Protesters in Serbia mobilised against the train station collapse. Student demonstrations in Turkey after 19 March and protests by the CHP was one of the key developments.
Solidarity and resistance of wives of detained mayors in Turkey and the women supporting them
Following the detention of Ekrem İmamoğlu and subsequent imprisonment sentences for 17 CHP mayors and hundreds of bureaucrats, their wives and family members formed the Family Solidarity Network (ADA), raising their voice every Friday.
Women taking the lead in discussions on the peace process in Turkey
The process that began between the government and PKK leader Öcalan was expected to initiate a peace process in Turkey. When this failed to materialise in January, women took action to spread peace nationwide.
The feminist women’s movement
Discrimination against women continues under conservative politics. Women continue resisting oppressive regimes in Turkey, Afghanistan to Iran, through organised struggle.
LGBTQ+ movements
Members of LGBTQ+ movements, directly targeted by rising conservative right-wing politics, continue to resist in varying forms across the world.
Climate activists and climate movements
2025 was a year of regression in climate activism. Wars, conflicts, and suppression (particularly under the Trump administration) hindered climate activism. Women in Turkey and globally are collectively defending their trees, green spaces, and environment.
Labour movements
2025 was also a difficult year for workers’ movements. With living conditions worsening due to high inflation, organised trade union movements sought to be effective despite pressure from right-wing authoritarian governments.
Music, sport, science, and business
In 2025, artists, athletes, women entrepreneurs, and women scientists continued to inspire.
SES Women of the Year 2025 Candidates:
1. On behalf of women journalists in Palestine: Bisan Owda, Maha Hussaini, Mariam Barghouti, Palestine
2. On behalf of Global Sumud Flotilla: Greta Thunberg and Yasemin Acar
3. On behalf of Gaza Biennale and Istanbul Pavilion: Tasneem Shatat and Shulamit Bruckstein Çoruh, Palestine and Turkey
4. On behalf of Students for Justice in Palestine: Rümeysa Öztürk, USA
5. On behalf of Columbia University faculty and staff for Justice in Palestine: Marwa Elshakry and Marianne Hirsch, USA
6. Jewish Voice for Peace Initiative, USA
7. Rabbis for Ceasefire Initiative, USA
8. Palestine Action Collective, United Kingdom
9. Jawad Camp Civil Initiative, Gaza, Palestine
10. Saraçhane Student Movement, Turkey
11. Family Solidarity Network (ADA) for detained municipal officials, Turkey
12. On behalf of the Serbia Novi Sad Student Movement: Teodora Gardović, Serbia
13. Protesters supporting EU membership in Georgia, Georgia
14. Gen Z Uprisings (Nepal, Morocco, Kenya, Madagascar)
15. On behalf of women resisting in Afghanistan: FEMENA, Afghanistan
16. On behalf of women resisting the oppressive regime in Iran: Parastoo Ahmadi, Nina Golestani, and Narges Mohammedi, Iran
17. “I Need Peace” Women’s Initiative, Turkey
18. LGBTİ+ Initiative for Peace, Turkey
19. Feminist writer and activist Berrin Sönmez, Turkey
20. Aramızda (Among Us) Gender Studies Association, Turkey
21. “First Children and Women” Association, Turkey
22. “We Need to Talk” Association, Turkey
23. On behalf of Frankeştayn Bookstore: Ayşe Tümerkan, Turkey
24. Çatlak Zemin Feminist Digital Platform, Turkey
25. Feminist Imagination Journal, Turkey
26. Parrhesia Armenian Feminist Collective: Aylin Vartanyan, Turkey
27. Nehna Cultural Heritage and Memory Collective, Turkey
28. Roots & Shoots Turkey
29. Women of the Hrant Dink Foundation: Rakel Dink, Delal Dink, Nayat Karaköse, and Zeynep Taşkın, Turkey
30. Istanbul Gender Museum, Turkey
31. LGBTİ+ Activist Yıldız Tar, Turkey
32. ÜniKuir Association, Turkey
33. Gola Association / Rize – Turkey
34. Gökçeyazı Turkmen Mountain Environmental Protection and Solidarity Association (Balıkesir), Turkey
35. Private Sector Teachers’ Union, Turkey
36. Rümeysa Çamdereli, Reçel Blog, Turkey
37. Zeynep Sönmez, National Tennis Player, Turkey
38. Hülya Tomak, Social Entrepreneur, Turkey
39. María Susana Muhamad González, Colombia
40. Dr Özge Akbulut, Turkey
The SES Equality and Solidarity Association invites everyone to read the profiles of the candidates and take part in voting. Through the link, you can get to know the SES Women of the Year 2025 candidates more closely and cast your vote.
We would like to thank academics Ayşe Gül Altınay and Sevgi Uçan Çubukçu, and feminist communicator Ayşen Şahin, who supported us in determining the candidates by serving on the SES Women of the Year advisory board.
