Encourage Women For More Active Participation

The committee expects "further steps" and wider participation of women in politics to end the gender discrimination.

Critique on the "lack of information"

The Report underlines that women cannot benefit social services and actively participate in politics and labor force. Committee recommends the state party launch campaigns to end violence against women and increase public awareness on the issue.

The Committee board also demands an increase in the number of shelters for women and criticizes "the lack of information in the report on the situation of women-asylum seekers in the state party."

Committee demands a better definition of "discrimination against women" in the Constitutional Law on the grounds that Turkish Penal Code (TCK), Civil Code and the Constitution contains discriminatory articles.

Media to be encouraged for a better woman image

CEDAW recommends media be encouraged to draw a "positive image of women" to emphasize the gender equality in line with the public and private responsibilities of individuals.

The Committee asserts factors that lead to "early or forced marriages and polygamy" are "patriarchal fabric of the society, cultural stereotypes and traditions." Committee suggests cooperation with women's organizations.

Discrimination in laws prevails

Some highlights from the committee's report:

*The state should initiate campaigns to raise the public awareness on discrimination against women; it should launch necessary programs to educate prosecutors and judges.

*TCK should make clear that women's consent is the sole precondition for genital and virginity tests.

*"Custom killing" instead of "honor killings"can still result in "less vigorous" prosecution for those who committed the crime. Committee recommends both be classified as "aggravated homicide."

*Constrains on "sexual relations among youth between 15 and 18" impact women worse because of the "patriarchal attitudes."

*Joint ownership of acquired property in the Civil Code should apply to the past cases too.

*Domestic violence prevails and women are unaware of their rights and protection mechanisms provided by the state.

*The number of shelters for women is inadequate: state should ensure whether the Municipalities have the necessary resources to increase this number after the responsibility to construct shelters is delegated to the local administrations with the new Municipal Law.

Special measures needed

*State should introduce special temporary measures in order to decrease the under-representation of women in labor force, parliament, public institutions and Foreign Service. Temporary special measures are also needed to diminish the pervasive illiteracy among women and to encourage them for further education.

*New regulations should address the regional disparities of the girls especially in rural areas. State should also implement further policies to resolve the problems of those whose mother tongue is not Turkish. State should also determine the number of the students with headscarves banned from their schools.

Discrimination in office to be ended

*The committee demands the state to give provide place for "integration of a gender perspective in its economic planning" in the reports it sends to the committee.

*Women participation in the labor force is inadequate.Women earn lower wages in both public and private sector. They also engage in the underground economy and work unpaid in rural areas which leave them socially insecure.

*State should adopt temporary special measures which include pre-school education for children and awareness raising campaigns to end the cultural stereotypes drawn for women.

*Greater amount of resources is needed for women health, in particular for the maternal and infant health.