March 3   International Sex Worker Rights Day was celebrated in Turkey with panels and meetings. Here is a short summary of the events organized by LGBTI+ communities in Turkey:

Pink Life LGBTT Solidarity Association held a meeting at the Nonviolent Education and Research Center in Istanbul. At the meeting, Efruz Kaya spoke about the history of the struggle of sex workers in Turkey for their rights, members of LİSTAG stated that they will try and focus more on the issues of the sex workers in their own agenda. Jiyan and Dilara from Legal Assistance against Sexual Violence Association also emphasized the need for joint struggle against the violence of law enforcers against sex workers in Turkey.

Kaos GL published Aslı Alpar’s article on which law articles are used by law enforcers when violating the sex workers’ right to work in Turkey.

The Kadıköy  City Council LGBTI+ Assembly came together with trans sex workers residing in Kadıköy. Trans sex worker women talked about the rights violations they experience and their demands as residents of the city, the participants discussed ways in which a safer and freer living spaces in the city can be created for trans sex worker women. The event aimed to increase the active participation of the trans community of Kadıköy in local politics.

Boğaziçi University LGBTI+ Studies Club will hold a panel on March 5 to mark the International Sex Worker Rights day at the campus, with the participation of activists and sex workers Svetlana, Zelal Demir and Hazal Yüksel.