Parliamentary Speaker: İstanbul Convention contributes to efforts against violence on women

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Parliamentary Speaker Mustafa Şentop from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has made remarks on the debate in pro-government circles as to whether Turkey should withdraw from the İstanbul Convention on violence against women.

Saying that he is speaking as an academic and not the Parliamentary Speaker, he told reporters in Ankara that "Many debates are turned into debates of life and death in Turkey. Things can't be worked out like that. Issues should be discussed more calmly and objectively."

"Let's say feminicides have increased. Is the İstanbul Convention the reason for that? How can we prove that? Or, [it is said that] 'This convention harms our social structure and family institution.' Is there such a thing or not?"

The AKP has taken important steps against violence on women and the İstanbul Convention, which was signed in 2011, contributed to that, Şentop said.

The "Eurocentric elements"

"The İstanbul Convention has a Eurocentric understanding of rights and paradigm ... Some elements of this paradigm are universal, we have no objection to that, but some of its elements are the cultural elements of Western Europe," Şentop said.

"Europe imposes this paradigm as a universal paradigm on the whole world. This is also reflected in many international conventions, court judgments and political decisions," he added.

"It is absolutely necessary to agree on the universal issues that the world would recognize. However, some issues that emerge as a reflection of the European culture should be discussed separately in terms of both human rights and women's rights.

"Turkey has taken many temps in terms of violence on women. I think that the İstanbul Convention has also contributed to that."

Şentop further said that if there are problematic aspects of the convention, they can be evaluated through legislation but it is not necessary to abandon the convention altogether. (EKN/VK)