Women’s rights organizations express concerns that due to the political arithmetic in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), a potential constitutional amendment could result in a deterioration of women’s rights within the legal framework.
The Global Gender Gap Report 2023 by the World Economic Forum revealed that Turkey ranks 124th out of 146 countries in terms of gender equality, significantly lagging behind European Union countries. The shift in women’s rights policies that reached its peak with the withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention in March 2021 under the AKP government continues at full speed.
Hülya Gülbahar, a member of the Equality for Women Platform (EŞİK) and a lawyer, expressed concerns that potential constitutional changes, given the arithmetic in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, could lead to a regression in women’s rights within the legal framework. She emphasized the need to halt the constitutional amendment package that will undoubtedly aim to erode fundamental rights.
Commenting on the gender inequality landscape in Turkey based on the latest election results, Gülbahar stated, “Unfortunately, recent reports show a similar trend. Today, the rising new authoritarian wave in the world prioritizes attacks on women’s hard-earned rights, regardless of religious beliefs. We see this in India, Catholic countries, and in countries governed by radical Islamic regimes. In Turkey, there is an inclination towards radical views within the moderate Islamic government. The policy of rolling back women’s and children’s rights has been ongoing for 30 years.
“It is necessary for everyone to take a united stance against the preparation of the constitutional amendment package”
Gülbahar noted that while the representation of women in political parties, except for the Green Left Party, remains at a symbolic level in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), it is even lower in local governments, as reflected in the Global Gender Gap Report. She expressed concern that in the current Parliament, due to the perception of women’s representation in politics as merely a “showcase” in the opposition camp during the last election, serious risks have arisen for advocating women’s rights.
Gülbahar stated, “We are moving forward in a political process that disregards and suppresses the presence of women and LGBTI individuals, without a restraining mechanism on the political stage. Gender-based violence has reached the level of genocide. We see that girls under the age of 18 are condemned to lifelong rape under the pretext of early marriage. Along with the education system, the existing political arena has started to pursue a policy of eradicating all hard-won rights, especially for women and including LGBTI individuals. In the face of a Parliament majority that has declared war on women’s rights by seeking to abolish the Law No. 6284, the entire opposition camp needs to act together with independent women’s rights advocacy organizations. We must take a united stance against the preparation of the constitutional amendment package that plans to introduce obstacles even to women’s access to healthcare, determining when and how they can go to the hospital.”
Source: VOA Turkish