Women Walk Home: Cyprus' forgotten peace march

In June 1987, 300 Greek Cypriot women embarked on a daring peace march toward the ceasefire line dividing Cyprus, risking their lives to reclaim homes lost during the 1974 Turkish invasion. Organized by a group called Ijenegis Epistrephon—meaning 'the women return'—the march was a quiet but defiant act of civil resistance. Armed only with white flags and banners in Greek, English, and Turkish, the women walked through minefields, evaded police, and confronted UN peacekeepers, all to demand the right to return home. Though they were ultimately turned back by heat, military barriers, and the remnants of war, their courage sparked international attention and inspired two more demonstrations. The movement became known as the Women Walk Home Movement, a powerful testament to how ordinary women can challenge geopolitical divides through nonviolent action. Despite never returning to her home, Niki Katsoni, one of the marchers, remains a symbol of resilience and hope in a divided nation. The episode reveals how the women’s march was not a political provocation but a deeply personal quest for dignity and belonging. Their decision to wear skirts instead of trousers—out of fear of being mistaken for soldiers—underscores the absurdity of war’s logic. The fact that they were met not by enemy troops but by UN peacekeepers, who blocked their path, highlights the tragic irony of peacekeeping: protecting the status quo while silencing the voices of those most affected by it.