The participation of women in the Gezi Park protests reflects concerns that the Turkish government could roll back the country’s gender equality reforms

Turkey experienced a number of protests during the summer following a dispute over the redevelopment of the Taksim Gezi Park in Istanbul. Gül Aldıkaçtı Marshall writes on the role of women in the protests. She argues that many of the women participating were motivated by the AKP government’s recent gender policies, which have threatened reforms carried out over the last 10-15 years to strengthen gender equality in the country. She writes that protecting the gains which have been made in the area of gender equality is becoming an increasingly significant issue for Turkish women.