Violations of rights peaked in 2021, shows CHP report on women

* Photo: cinselgorselarsiv.org/Meltem Ulusoy

Click to read the article in Turkish

"How can you ask 'Why didn't you scream?'!

"In the trial of Osman Ç. for sexually abusing a child in Mardin, the presiding judge asked the child, 'Why didn't you scream?'

"What kind of a request is this?

"At the hearing of the trial of Volkan Kabak, who subjected a 10-year-old child to systematic sexual abuse in İstanbul, the presiding judge asked the child to recount the sexual abuse.

"How will the state protect children?

"A 2-year-old child subjected to sexual abuse was hospitalized in Uşak; the defendant was arrested for attempted killing.

"Release the perpetrators so that they can walk around freely!

"Sending pornographic videos and photos and sexually explicit messages to 260 women, N.T. was released on probation in İstanbul..."

***

The above sentences are from the report on violations of women's rights released by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).

CHP Vice Chair Responsible for Human Rights and Denizli MP Gülizar Biçer-Karaca has prepared the report titled "Not Losing the Achievements and Subjects of Struggle for Rights: Women in 2021".

According to the report, women constitute one of the groups who are most severely affected by the increasing violations of rights during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and economic crisis.

The report has also emphasized that violations of rights against women have increased following Turkey's withdrawal from the İstanbul Convention by the decision of President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in March 2021.

Attacks on LGBTI+s on the increase

Some of the highlights from the report are as follows:

"Violations of rights have increased following the withdrawal from the İstanbul Convention. It was seen that urgent and necessary interventions were not made in response to the complaints submitted to police stations. Adopting policies that are in disregard of gender equality and women's human rights caused women to be rendered powerless.

"During the pandemic, 12 million women were unable to access birth control methods, which caused 1.4 million unintended pregnancies in the world. Every year, 570 million women are diagnosed with cervical cancer; the HPV vaccine is not included in Turkey's National Vaccine Program.

"Compared to men, women working in the metal sector are four times more likely to get sick; one out of every four women suffer from musculoskeletal diseases. It was seen that women had difficulties in accessing health services, they were made poorer and free care labor dramatically increased. Domestic violence widely prevailed during the pandemic.

"Turkey's ranking in the rate of women parliamentarians dropped from 122nd to 129th. The rate of women employed by ministries was 16 percent while the rate of women local administrators was only 3 percent.

"No women guests participated in 77 percent of discussion programs. The rate of women professors at universities was 32.5 percent while this rate was only 3.94 percent in executive positions.

"There are no women professors at 13 universities; only 8 percent of rectors are women. While the violence against women journalists increased by 150 percent, 11 women journalists were killed.

"The wage received by one fourth of women could not even reach the level of minimum wage. The women working as domestic workers were deprived of social security. 600 thousand domestic workers have lost their jobs since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"94 percent of the women working in the agriculture sector do not have insurance. 79 percent of the alimonies stipulated by court rulings were not paid. News on women's problems were insufficient.

"At least 18 meetings to be held by LGBTI+s were intervened by the law enforcement. Over 164 people were subjected to torture and ill treatment for this reason. The Beyoğlu Sub-Governor's Office banned the İstanbul 19th Price March; dozens were detained and battered hours before the march. 20 people were detained during the march in Eskişehir." (EMK/SD)

Click here for the full report (in Turkish)