Government's 'family workshops' exclude NGOs, spread anti-LGBTI+ sentiment

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The Ministry of Family and Social Services recently issued a directive to its provincial directorates, instructing them to organize "family workshops."

According to this directive, representatives of all civil society organizations involved in the subject would be invited to the workshops. The directive outlined topics such as "Climate and Family," "Family and Children," "Equality and Justice in the Family," and "Digitalization and the Family."

The directive called for these workshops to be conducted between September 9 and 23.

While the provincial directorates began their meetings, in some provinces, relevant NGOs were not invited.

For instance, in some provinces including İstanbul, Ankara, Kastamonu, Diyarbakır, and Zonguldak, women's rights centers of bar associations were not invited to the meetings or were invited at the last minute. Bar associations in Giresun, Trabzon, Konya, İzmir, among others, were invited to the Family Workshop.

Feminist lawyers, speaking to bianet, suggested that these workshops are preparations for a new constitution and amendments to the Civil Code, which have been on the agenda of the government when the parliament opens. They believe that groundwork is being laid, especially for a new constitution that is hostile to the LGBTI+ community. Lawyers argue that the government wants to create the impression that it is "consulting with civil society."

However, there are concerns that amendments to the Civil Code will jeopardize women's rights, such as alimony.

Lawyers also noted that the task of spreading LGBTI+ hostility has been given to local public administrators, who convey anti-LGBTI+ discourse to parents and students through provincial directorates of national education. They commented, "According to information we have received from the workshops, a very challenging period is beginning for women and LGBTI+ individuals."

"Threat to the family"

In the workshop held in Kastamonu on Wednesday, two AKP deputies from the city were present, while the main opposition CHP's deputy was absent due to not being informed about the meeting.

According to a participant, after the meeting, Governor Meftun Dallı turned off the cameras, asked the press to leave, and said, "We have entered a very dangerous process. There is a movement called LGBTI+ movement that threatens our families. We need to keep our children away from this movement.

"The biggest responsibility for this lies with the provincial directorate of national education. Parents should raise their children in a way that reinforces gender roles through their toys and clothing from childhood. Now, children at the age of 13-14 are saying, 'I want to choose my gender,' and this is not acceptable. If this movement spreads, it will disrupt family unity."

The deputy governor also pointed out that the age of marriage has increased significantly, which they found "troubling." He mentioned that the fertility rate had also decreased and labeled these as problems that needed to be addressed.

The deputy governor also said that problems arose in homes with elderly people, leading to the breakdown of family unity, and emphasized the need to resolve this issue.

At the workshop in Zonguldak, Deputy Governor Turgut Subaşı claimed that marriages decrease "because of LGBT," according to participants who spoke to bianet on the condition of anonymity.

Lawyers from the Ankara Bar Association were informed about the meeting at the last minute, only after their own efforts. Lawyers emphasized that when looking at the content of the meeting, the role assigned to women was clearly understood, and they expect that discussions on the Civil Code would be opened in the coming period.

At the workshop in Antep, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Ünverdi, the Dean of the Faculty of Theology at Gaziantep University, chaired the meeting.

"Usurping our rights"

The Women's Platform for Equality (EŞİK) issued a statement last night regarding these workshops, saying, "It seems that the 'Family Workshops' are paving the way for the 'Family Vision Document.' Will usurping our rights be called the 'vision document' this time?"

"It has been created as a 'consultation mechanism' including 'civil society organizations, academicians, and other segments of society,' but none of the independent women's organizations and most of the bar associations have been invited."

"After the 'family summit' to be held in Ankara next month, will there be a 'family vision document' that will shape policies and services?" (EMK/VK)