Defiance took to the streets of Istanbul as thousands of Turkish women, undeterred by a government ban, gathered to demand equal rights and protections on International Women's Day. The march, which has been termed a "feminist night march," was met with barricades and tear gas as Istanbul police took measures to prevent the assembly.

The protestors, bearing purple flags synonymous with the day's celebrations, chanted such slogans as "The world would shake if women were free," as they voiced their discontent over the lack of progress on women's rights issues. Their dedication to fighting for these rights was evident throughout the city, even as some determined participants found inventive ways to join the protest. "I have been here in this coffeeshop today at 1 pm to make it here at 7:30 pm," one woman, Irem, told ABC News in a statement.

Darker still is the shadow cast by the government's backpedaling on commitments like the Istanbul Convention, a treaty aimed at combating domestic violence which Turkey was the first to ratify but later abandoned. The main opposition Republican People's Party released a report highlighting the stark reality: more than 600 women have been killed in Turkey by men since the country's withdrawal from the treaty in 2021, according to the BBC.

Despite the government's ban on gatherings, especially in strategic locations like Taksim Square, protestors rallied, managing to slightly alter their plans to continue their demonstration. "We will continue to be on the squares despite all the obstructions," one of the main organizers, Kadın Meclisleri, posted on X. This sentiment was echoed across the chants and calls for solidarity, not just within Turkey's borders, but internationally, as women rallied in support of widespread change and recognition of their rights.

Unity calls were strong among protestors, as one, dressed entirely in purple, summed up the collective aspiration. "As women, it is important that we all stay together, no matter what nationality," Yagmour, a young protestor, told ABC News. These gatherings, symbolic and powerful, are a testament to the ongoing struggle against a backdrop of increasing femicides and systemic disregard for women's rights in Turkey. Even as they marched, the deeper cry for change rang out, seeking to pierce through the apathy and urging a call to action for equality and safety in their own land and beyond.