MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Amed- Women hold events, protests and activities to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Turkey’s President Erdoğan issued a decree to leave the Istanbul Convention and the decision was published in the Official Gazette on March 20, 2021. Recently, Turkey’s Law No. 6284 to Protect Family and Prevent Violence against Women, Turkish Civil Code and the principle of “equality” in the Constitution have been discussed in the Turkish parliament.

These misogynistic discussions, which reinforce discrimination and inequality against women's legal rights, started by the People's Alliance of the AKP-MHP government supported by the Free Cause Party (HÜDA-PAR) and the New Welfare Party (YRP). In an interview with NuJINHA, Asli Pasinli, lawyer and president of the Women's State of Solidarity Association (DAKAH-DER) spoke about the attacks on women’s gains and the policy of impunity implemented in crimes against women.

‘Withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention was the beginning of the process’

 "We wage a war against gender-based violence and the attacks on women,” said Asli Pasinli, emphasizing that withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention was the beginning of the attacks on women.

 “NGOs and women’s movements protested the decision of withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention. Withdrawal from the convention was the beginning of the attacks not only on women’s physical existence but also to their legal rights. Before this decision, the convention was first targeted by sects and certain religious groups. And then, Turkey withdrew from the convention.”

‘The right to alimony has been targeted for a long time’

When the decision was made to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, women’s organizations and movements took to the streets and warned about the changes that might happen in Turkey after the withdrawal. “They issued many statements about the threat against women's right to alimony, Law No. 6284 and the amendment of the articles in the constitution about women. Women’s right to alimony has been targeted in Turkey for a long time. Recently, the New Welfare Party submitted a proposal to the parliament about an amendment concerning the right to alimony. Before the general elections, the party promised men that they would eliminate the right to alimony,” Asli Pasinli said.

Speaking about the discussion on the amendments of the Constitution. “Two articles of the Constitution have been targeted. Causing a discrimination among women regarding the headscarf is one of them. Another is about the concept of family. The target group of these discussion is LGBTI+ individuals.”

Asli Pasinli thinks that the recent discussions are a war against the rights of women and LGBTI+ individuals are attacked. “A war has been started against all gains of women in Turkey. In many Middle Eastern countries, women’s gains are attacked. What is happening in Turkey is not different. We should not allow these attacks and always struggle against them.”