KARS – Leyla Aytemiz who was married in her young age, says “Child marriage is not destiny. To change our children destiny is in ours power.”



According to Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), Kars is the second city in child marriage. Leyla Aytemiz is struggling against child marriage for her six children. 36-year-old Aytemiz is living in the Ölçülü Village of Kars. She is selling what she knits socks and bootee. Aytemiz was forced to marry when she was 16 years old. “I am working day-and-night for my children to not have same destiny as I had. I could not make my dreams come true but my children will make my dreams come true” said Aytemiz.




Aytemiz said that she couldn’t go to school due to her poor family. “My dream was to have education before I was forced to marry. But I couldn’t go to school because we were nine siblings in poor conditions. I couldn’t live the life which I wanted. I lived the life which someone had specified” said Aytemiz.




Aytemiz said she was forced to marry without asking her permission and continued, “According to my family, I was a child and they were the one who make the best decision for me. I told my mother that I don’t want to marry, but she refused.”




Aytemiz says she grew up with her children. “ We both were children when I and my husband were married. We our children grew up together,” said Aytemiz.

According to Aytemiz, ending child marriage is depends on parents effort. “ Child marriage is not a destiny. Changing our children destiny is in our powers. I am struggling by selling the socks and bootee I knit to change my children destiny. My children’s destiny will not be same as mine. Women are the one who creates from nothing. Health generation can grew up with freedom of women. There is no society if there is no free women” said.