A woman in Mardin, southeastern Türkiye, once barred from attending school during Türkiye’s Feb. 28 process, also known as the “postmodern coup,” has finally fulfilled her lifelong dream of higher education, graduating alongside her daughter from Mardin Artuklu University.
Aycan Özonay, 49, was among the many women whose education was interrupted in the late 1990s due to a nationwide crackdown on headscarf-wearing students. Now, after decades of perseverance, she proudly donned her graduation gown and cap with her daughter, Şevval Özonay, in a ceremony that symbolized resilience, justice and generational hope.
The Feb. 28 process, which began in 1997, is remembered for its widespread institutional pressure on religious expression, particularly targeting women wearing headscarves. Aycan was a middle school student at the time, but restrictions forced her to drop out.
“My school principal didn’t allow me to enter with a headscarf,” she recalled. “I had to remove it just to attend class. It broke me. Eventually, I quit school.”
Years later, Aycan completed her high school education through open schooling and began working in vocational programs, even becoming a kilim weaving instructor. Still, social exclusion persisted.
“Even as a qualified instructor, I wasn’t accepted because I wore a headscarf,” she said. “There were so many things I wanted to do, but I couldn't.”
With the support of her family and a special quota system introduced by Türkiye’s Council of Higher Education (YÖK) for women over 34, Aycan finally seized the opportunity to pursue university education. Her daughter, Şevval, already a student in the Sociology Department at Mardin Artuklu University, encouraged her to apply and helped her navigate the process.
Aycan was accepted into the Elderly Care Program at the university’s Vocational School of Health Services. Despite balancing a demanding full-time job as a care staff member at the Mardin Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services, and being a mother of three, she completed her studies with distinction.
“Graduating is a joy in itself,” said Aycan. “But doing it with my daughter makes it unforgettable. To be able to study freely with our headscarves, after everything we went through, is deeply meaningful.”
Her daughter Şevval echoed the sentiment. “My mother has carried the burden of not being able to study for so long. Supporting her through university has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life,” she said. “Studying side-by-side with her showed me that no obstacle should stand in the way of education.”
Now, with their degrees in hand, the mother-daughter duo plans to continue their academic journey. Aycan has already taken the Vertical Transfer Exam and hopes to pursue a bachelor's degree. “My children want me to keep going. And I will,” she said. “It’s never too late to learn.”
Aycan’s story is not just one of personal victory, it reflects a broader narrative of women in Türkiye who were once marginalized for their religious identity and who are now reclaiming their right to education. Her resilience continues to inspire other women, especially those who, like her, were left behind in the wake of political decisions decades ago.
“Many women in my family were also affected,” she said. “My sister lost her job during the Feb. 28 period despite having a permanent position. We were all made to feel that we didn’t belong. But now we’re reclaiming that space, one diploma at a time.”
