Diyarbakır muhtar who prevented 41 child marriages starts university at 53

DİYARBAKIR

At the tender age of 13, Dilek Demir was forced into marriage and barred from continuing her education. Four decades later, as the muhtar of the southeastern province of Diyarbakır's Muradiye neighborhood, she has empowered dozens of girls to escape the same fate and recently achieved her lifelong dream of enrolling in a university.

Known locally as “Muhtar Ana” (Mother Muhtar), Demir, now 53, has become a symbol of resilience and change in her community. After 16 years in a marriage she had not chosen, she divorced, raised five children, and set her sights on public service.

Elected as muhtar for three consecutive terms, one of her first initiatives was to hang a small wooden “wishes and complaints” box outside her office. It soon became an outlet for young girls at risk of early marriage.

Through the reports placed in the box, Demir was able to alert the authorities and work with institutions to intervene. By 2021, she had helped prevent 41 child marriages, ensuring the girls returned to school.

Her story captured national attention and later inspired the documentary “Dilek Kutusu” (The Wish Box). The film traveled to nearly 20 international festivals, including in the U.S., Spain and Italy.

Throughout the years, Demir carried her own unfinished dream of education. While serving as muhtar, she completed middle and high school through distance learning.

This year, after taking the nationwide university entrance exam, she earned a place at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University’s Vocational School of Social Sciences, majoring in Local Governments.

“I was given away as a child bride when I was 13,” Demir said. “They took off my school uniform and put a wedding dress on me. My love for education stayed locked inside me for years. Now, at 53, I am finally a university student. This is a dream come true.”

Her children are all university graduates, and she says she chose her field deliberately. “Being a muhtar is about local governance. With my experience, I can combine practice with education.”

Demir’s mission remains clear. “Children must study. No girl should be deprived of school or forced into marriage. My fight was for them. Now, I am also fighting for myself.”