Erdogan pulls Turkey out of European Treaty on violence against women
By IAR Desk
Even as he projects himself as the champion of Muslims and oppressed world over, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pulled his country out of an international accord designed to protect women, ministers and an official notice said on Saturday.
Erdogan has pulled out Turkey from the Council of Europe accord, called the Istanbul Convention, which has pledged to prevent, prosecute and eliminate domestic violence and promote equality. Turkey signed it in 2011 but femicide has surged in the country in recent years.
The move, as reported by both the Turkish and International media has prompted criticism from those who said it was necessary to address rising domestic violence.
Many conservatives in Turkey say the pact undermines family unity, encourages divorce and that its references to equality were being used by the LGBT community to gain broader acceptance in society.
Violence against women is rampant in turkey with a majority of them being domestic violence. Honor killings by family members are also common.
According to an official report released in November, more than 230 women were killed last year.
World Health Organization data has shown 38% of women in Turkey are subject to violence from a partner in their lifetime, compared to about 25% in Europe.
Shortly after the announcement of the withdrawal, Labor and Social Services Minister Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk said Turkey’s constitution and domestic regulations instead would be the “guarantee of the women’s rights.”
Marija Pejcinovic Buric, secretary general of the 47-nation Council of Europe, called Turkey’s decision “devastating” given the violence women and girls face, reported Reuters.
“This move is a huge setback to these efforts and all the more deplorable because it compromises the protection of women in Turkey, across Europe and beyond,” she said.
