Women’s Rights in Turkey

It is disappointing to read such a one-sided account on the state of women’s rights in Turkey given the substantial efforts to achieve equality and security for millions of women. Our government has not only adopted far-reaching legislation that strengthens the authorities’ ability to prevent and prosecute violence against women, but it has also taken steps to ensure full implementation of these laws. We have intensified the training of law enforcement, health, judicial and other public officials, held numerous symposia and workshops, and launched a broad public education program to raise awareness about women’s issues in general and violence against women in particular. Turkey has also signed on to and followed through on international conventions dealing with women’s rights and has been conducting joint projects with regional and international institutions such as the United Nations, the European Union and the Council of Europe. To be sure, in Turkey, as in so many nations, there is much work to do when it comes to the challenge of women’s empowerment and gender equality. But your article missed the real story: we fully recognize this challenge, and we’re tackling it aggressively.