Finding Strength in Adversity: My Journey to Be who I am now

My name is Somaya Selim, an Egyptian lawyer and human rights defender. My journey toward advocacy wasn't born from comfort but from profound struggles—arrest and torture due to my activism, and personal fight as a survivor of domestic violence by my husband, who, ironically, also works as a human rights advocate.

My journey may span almost 12 years, but it's a lifetime compressed into over a decade of tumultuous events and interactions with countless women and girls whose stories I've heard through my work as a human rights defender. Each battle I've faced has taught me a crucial lesson and brought a significant shift in how I advocate for human rights, especially for the most vulnerable and marginalized.

Fleeing to Turkey, I found myself not just a victim of state oppression but also battling the ghost of domestic abuse in a foreign land. This crucible of experiences has galvanized my resolve to form a safe haven for women like me—North African immigrant women and girls in Turkey, who grapple not only with alienation but with the compounded burdens of domestic violence, psychological and economic pressures, and formidable language barriers.

My initiative aims to create a supportive community that offers more than just refuge; it seeks to empower, educate, and elevate our spirits. By connecting with organizations, Activists, actors, local and international institutions, and governmental institutions as well., I am learning from those who have laid similar paths and gaining the knowledge needed to make this sanctuary a reality.

I have endured the pain of helplessness, oppression, alienation, and the anguish of exile—losing everything repeatedly. This experience has instilled in me a resolve that no other woman or girl should find herself unsupported and marginalized due to lack of resources, knowledge, or societal value. I am committed to ensuring that every woman and girl has the psychological, legal, and health support they need to be recognized and valued in society.

I invite every woman and girl from North African immigrant women community to join this movement, support each other, and help us build a space where we can all thrive together. I believe that " Together, we can ensure no woman feels isolated or powerless again".