THE Turkey withdrew from the international convention that obliges governments around the world to make efforts to prevent and combat violence against women, under a presidential decree released on Friday, prompting immediate criticism from the main opposition party.
The Istanbul Convention (2011) provided that governments would draft legislation to combat domestic violence and similar crimes, such as marital rape or female genital mutilation.
Conservative politicians argue that this text harms the family, encourages divorce, but also that its references to equality are used by the LGBT community to achieve wider social acceptance.
In Turkey, the possible withdrawal from the Convention was discussed after an issue was raised by a member of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AK) last year.
Since then, women have often taken to the streets of Istanbul and other cities, demanding that the government remain a party to the Convention.
The Republican People’s Party (CHP) strongly criticized the decision.
Gjekce Gokcan, CHP vice-president for human rights, complained on Twitter that abandoning the Convention meant “women are allowed to be murdered”.
Turkey’s constitution and legislation “guarantee” the protection of “women’s rights”, said Zehra Zumrut Selcuk, Minister of Family, Labor and Social Services, through the official Anatolia news agency.
Domestic violence and homicide remain an acute problem in Turkey.
At least 300 women were killed last year during We Will Stop Femicide.
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