İnanç Ekmekçi studied Journalism at Ege University Communication Faculty, and continued her master studies at Istanbul Bilgi University, Law Faculty at International Human Rights Program. She worked at many national and international projects aiming to create social benefits, such as “Protection of Women and Girls’ Human Rights Joint Program” at Sabancı Foundation; and public-civil society cooperation program funded by European Union. She worked at children’s rights projects both in Turkey and abroad, as well as as communication coordinator at History Foundation, Civil Society Support Program and TÜSEV. She has been board member of many civil society organisations working on children’s rights, refugee’s rights, women’s human rights and ecology. She also worked on those thematic areas as a trainer and consultant both at private sector and at civil society organisations.
Human rights defenders (HRDs) in Turkey have been subjected to judicial harassment, including criminal prosecution, violent attacks, threats, surveillance, prolonged arbitrary detention, and ill-treatment. In the aftermath of an attempted coup in July 2016, the environment for the work of HRDs deteriorated even further.
