Rising of a Young Feminist
By Selin Ozünaldım
Selin Ozünaldım is a young activist in Istanbul and is part of UN Women.
As a 17-year-old gender activist, my journey started two years ago when my 7-year-old brother once told me that I was lucky because I just simply could get married and I didn't have to work after.
I believe that was the moment when I realized I was going to be the voice of change. That's when I realized the danger of this mindset created by the society, affecting even little boy's thought structure. I didn't know where to start, or what to do.
I remember sending an email to UNWomen to become involved in the HeForShe movement and it all happened very fast after that. At the moment, I am the youngest representative of HeForShe in Turkey, founder of the first Girl Up Club in Turkey which was started by the United Nations Foundation to help girls build leadership skills, and brought the Girls Who Code movement to my country to encourage girls to be involved on the forefront on the STEM field.
Being an activist, day by day, you find more things to change. My main focus at the moment is an equal education opportunity. To achieve this goal, I am working with UNGEI to develop better education programs for girls, and also a member of Girl Rising Young Leaders Task Force to reach out and help the girls who's education were disrupt because of COVID-19.
I am very much proud to say that after only two years of activism, I am one of the 300 people who were selected by the United Nations all around the world for Gender Youth Activists and now, my biggest supporter and motivation is my little brother who is mentioning my activism everywhere with a proud look on his face, correcting people whenever he hears a sexist word or an action.
““Being an #activist, day by day, you find more things to change,” says gender youth activist and HeForShe Champion, @SOzunaldim. #PowerToChangeStories”
Selin Ozünaldım is a HeForShe Champion, Girl Rising Task Force Member, Young BPW Maiden's Tower Turkey Board Member, founder of Girl Up Istanbul, founder of Girls Who Code Turkey, co-founder of #GirlsWhoFIRST, founder of @wegroundzero, WomenTech Global Ambassador, Gender Youth Activist.
@SOzunaldim