Protesters turned out in Istanbul on Saturday under the slogan “You’ll never walk alone”
Istanbul … News Time
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has distanced himself from an international agreement on the protection of women. According to a report by the foreign news agency Reuters, in the name of the Istanbul Convention, the agreement of the Council of Europe mentions the promotion of equality, including the prevention of domestic violence and litigation. Turkey signed the agreement in 2011, but in recent years the country has seen an increase in the number of murders of women. The official gazette did not give a reason for the agreement’s termination, but senior government officials said domestic law would protect women’s rights rather than amend it externally. Hundreds of women in Istanbul protested the government’s move. Hatice Yolcu, a student, said: “Every day we hear of women being killed, they never die, women keep dying, nothing happens to men.” Secretary General of the 47-member European Council Marija Pejcinovic Buric called Turkey’s decision “disastrous.” He said the move was a “huge blow” and “regrettable” as it compromises the safety of women across Europe, including Turkey.
On the other hand, critics of the termination of the agreement said that Turkey has taken another step to distance itself from the European Union. He is of the view that the Convention and related legislation need to be strictly enforced. Germany says Turkey’s decision has given the wrong impression. The German Foreign Ministry said neither cultural, religious nor other national traditions could be used as an excuse to ignore violence against women. It should be noted that Turkey does not collect official statistics on the killing of women. However, according to a watchdog group, the rate has almost tripled in the last 10 years, and so far this year, 78 women have been mysteriously killed or maimed. According to the World Health Organization, 38% of women in Turkey are abused by their spouses, compared to 25% in Europe. Leading Turkish author Elif Shafak said in a statement on the social networking site Twitter that the move should be ashamed of the bigotry, patriotism, indifference that governs and murderers instead of women. Protects
