Amira-Géhanne Khalfallah
Writer and journalist
At a time when the Turkish lira is steadily depreciating and reaching record highs, Recep Tayyip Erdogan managed to divert attention from economic problems and created controversy by withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention. The agreement, in force since 2014, obliges governments to have strong legislation in place to protect women from domestic violence and abuses such as spousal rape and female genital mutilation, to name a few. But what is the situation today, as the situation of Turkish women has continued to deteriorate? According to the NGOs present, three women are murdered in Turkey every day! (In Europe, one woman is murdered every three days).
Alarming as they are, these figures are below the reality and women continue to suffer from a society increasingly radicalized in favor of the dominant male.
For example, the current government is trying to reduce sentences for rapists who marry their victims. This legislation existed in the Middle East and has been repealed in many countries, such as Lebanon and Jordan. If violence against women has never stopped, it has tripled worldwide by 2020 and Turkey is no exception to the rule. Measures of restriction and confinement have affected the most vulnerable populations and women have been at the forefront, suffering physical and psychological violence.
March is the one month of the year when we pause to take stock of the struggles for women’s rights, which continue to decline around the world. Withdrawing from the Istanbul Agreement in this very month has a strong symbolic value and the message the head of state sends to the Turkish people is unequivocal.
Last year, celebrations of International Women’s Rights Day were banned. March 8 marches in Istanbul were prevented with heavy security measures and the main streets of the city were closed. This ban was already preparing the ground for silencing the voices of protest.
The public debate surrounding the Istanbul convention culminated last August. Religious and conservative groups had lobbied hard against the legal arsenal as a “danger to Turkish family values.”
“Our laws guarantee women’s rights and our Constitution. Our judicial system is dynamic and strong enough to apply new rules if necessary,” tweeted Family and Social Policy Minister Zehra Zumrut Selcuk.
But political rhetoric is useless in the face of the facts. Since the beginning of the year, 78 femicides have been committed in Turkey and no measures have been taken to curb this violence.
For women, the government’s message could not be clearer: men can continue to violate their rights with general impunity. “It is clear that this withdrawal will encourage the murders and rapes of women,” denounced the Turkish Women’s Coalition.
In an interview with CNN, best-selling author Elif Shafak stated that “women’s rights in Turkey are in crisis and violence against them is increasing.” The writer is not the only one who is concerned about and vocal about the socio-political situation in her country. On March 20, the streets of Istanbul were invaded by thousands of protesters.
“Cancel your decision, implement the treaty! ” men and women chanted. But no ears were paid to these demands inside the country.
The Council of Europe called the withdrawal “devastating news” that “undermines the protection of women.” Will Europe apply sanctions against Ankara? No such decision has been announced so far.
For his part, U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his disappointment and concern about this decision: “Around the world, we are witnessing an increase in domestic violence (…). Countries should work to strengthen and renew their commitments to end violence against women, not reject international treaties designed to protect women and hold abusers accountable.”
While women’s rights are violated, a male model of violence and domination is established in Turkey.
© This article is a translation of the one originally published in Atalayar
