We Need to Talk Association has been fighting against period poverty and menstruation stigma in Turkey since 2016, under the leadership of İlayda Eskitaşçıoğlu and Bahar Aldanmaz Fidan, with the support of its team members, volunteers, donors, and sponsors.
OUR MISSION
We are aware that period poverty is much more than the problem of accessing menstrual products. With this awareness, we continue working towards our three main goals.
1. Enhancing the accessibility, quality, and sustainability of menstrual products in Turkey
2. Disseminating data collection and educational content creation on period poverty and menstruation experiences in Turkey
3. Adding comprehensive menstruation and sex education to the National Education Curriculum
OUR TEAM
İlayda Eskitaşçıoğlu
Co-Founder
İlayda Eskitaşcioğlu is a human rights lawyer and a Ph.D. student researching on international human rights law at Koç University in İstanbul, Turkey. She is an attorney at Ankara Bar Association, and currently a fellow at the Koç University UNESCO Chair for Gender Equality and Sustainable Development. She is the co-founder of We Need to Talk, an association which aims to fight against period poverty and menstruation stigma in Turkey. She has served as a member of UN Women’s Generation Equality Youth Task Force, and is currently serving as one of the 17 Young Leaders for Sustainable Development Goals, endorsed by the United Nations, as well as an international consultant for UN Women.
Bahar Aldanmaz
Co-Founder
Bahar is a sociology Ph.D. student at Boston University as a Fulbright scholar. She received her BA (2015) from Koç University studying both Psychology and Sociology. She then completed her Master’s degree in Social Sciences at the University of Chicago and wrote her thesis titled “Young Turkish Women between Modern and Traditional: Attitudes Regarding Marriage, Sex, and Equality.” Her research interests are reproductive justice, menstruation, and sexualities. Bahar also continues her work in the community as the co-founder of the We Need to Talk- an association based in Turkey working against period poverty and menstruation stigma.
İzel Güven
Project Coordinator
İzel Güven has graduated from Hacettepe University, Department of International Relations. She will continue her Master’s studies in the field of Gender, Race and Diversity at The Graduate Institute, International and Development Studies program as of September 2022. She is the project coordinator of the Girls Are Talking Project at the We Need To Talk Association supported by the Empower Foundation Girl Fund.
Burcu Köleli
Visual Artist
Burcu Koleli is a multidisciplinary creative and freelance illustrator based in Washington, USA. She is a passionate intersectional environmentalist and feminist. Her illustration works combine digital and traditional mediums. They are inspired by daily life, activism, relationships, and nature. She creates inclusive artwork that celebrates women and nature. She is supporting We Need to Talk as a creative director.
HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT US?
Donation
You can support our work by donating money or menstrual products to the We Need to Talk Association.
Volunteering
You can contribute to the efforts of We Need to Talk by dedicating your time, effort, and knowledge.
Sponsorship and Collaboration
Our door is always open to sponsorship, project, and field collaborations. You can contact us for your individual and corporate sponsorship proposals.