To be existing as a woman. By all definitions: to be alive, to be recognized as who you are, to be accepted and appreciated, is the biggest challenge for a Turkish woman. Some may say that women have it all in 21. Century, and even may argue that feminism is useless because women gained all their rights on paper. Doubtless, women rights improved at extreme levels in the past century, and discrimination in the constitution reduced significantly. However, changing a way of thinking is much harder than changing a law. Prejudice is not just some legal document you can alter in the written paper. Sexism is so much more than that. It is the brutal consequences of a male-dominated population for centuries, which we encounter daily. It is the fear every woman feels while walking on an empty street at night. It is in every workplace where women are less paid than men. It is in every woman's memories who suffered from their gender.
Read MoreWinning Essays
The Harvard GlobalWE Board members and essay contest managers read over all submissions and vote on the winning essay by year and school or region. In its selection criteria, Harvard GlobalWE does not advocate a specific ideology or agenda.
Harvard GlobalWE has published 99 winning essays from our Essay Contest from the past five years in a coffee table book. We are excited to announce that a limited number of books are available to share with individuals who donate $99 or more (for 99 essays!) to Harvard GlobalWE. Donate today to receive a copy of the book. Take a look at the essay contest book here. Please visit our Donate page to make a contribution and receive a copy of the book.