ISTANBUL - Stating that they will be on the streets against the decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, the women said: "It is not over for us yet and we will continue their legal struggle.
It has been 2 years since Turkey withdrew from the Istanbul Convention, the first international convention to prevent all forms of violence against women. Despite the objections and protests of women, the contract was officially terminated on July 1, 2023, with the decision of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and this situation led to an increase in massacres of women. In the two years since the termination of the Istanbul Convention, at least 600 women have been murdered, and at least 400 women have lost their lives in suspicious circumstances.
Stating that they did not give up on the Istanbul Convention, the women said that they will continue to be on the streets. Rüya Kurtuluş from the Women's Advocacy Network emphasized the importance of the Istanbul Convention, which aims to prevent violence against women, is the first legal text that puts forward and defines the concept of gender, specifically stating that the formula for this will be achieved by ensuring gender equality. Stating that the Convention is a gain achieved through the struggle of women, Kurtuluş said: “The Convention was initially targeted at the request of the sects, because the Istanbul Convention advocates gender equality. The convention says no one can be discriminated against because of their sexual preferences and orientation. It defined the places that women would resort to when they were subjected to violence and imposed obligations on the states. These were the articles of agreement that strengthened our struggle for equality.”
WOMEN'S GAINS AT RISK
Reminding that some articles of the contract were implemented with the women's struggle, Kurtuluş said: “Unfortunately, the contract was never fully implemented in Turkey, but we had this contract enforced thanks to the struggle of the women's movement. One night, Erdoğan said that without consulting any women's organizations, the Istanbul Convention, which concerns the lives of millions of women, was withdrawn. After the exit from the Istanbul Convention, a process began in which our other women's gains were also put at risk.”
AN INCREASE IN MASSACRE OF WOMEN
Noting the increase in the massacres of women after the cancellation of the contract, Kurtuluş said: “Too many women are killed every day and we encounter suspicious women's deaths every day. Not only that, since the day we left the Istanbul Convention, discriminatory hateful acts and discourses against women and especially LGBTI+s have increased. These hateful marches were allowed, while the streets that we women took to defend our smallest rights were banned. There were serious attacks on our right to alimony, these attacks have always continued."
THE DISCOUNTS OF 'GOOD BEHAVIOR'
Stating that there has been an increase in "good behavior" reductions in the femicide case with withdrawal from the contract, Kurtuluş said: “The courts weren't working fairly anyway, they were making decisions in favor of men. But the decisions taken after the exit from the Istanbul Convention are much more striking. Decisions are made that involve huge attacks on the gains of women. After the contract, women killers were encouraged.”
'WE DON'T ACCEPT THE DECISION OF CANCELLATION'
Gülizar İpek, a volunteer for the Women's Platform for Equality (THRESHOLD), said: "Women have been fighting on the streets for the last 2 years against the decision, which she described as 'unlawful', and that they do not recognize the decision. We are faced with great police violence every time they take to the streets. Despite the pressures of the government, we have never given up our struggle. We say everywhere that we will not give up on the Istanbul Convention, no matter what. After the signing was withdrawn, the AKP-MHP government's hostile rhetoric against women increased violence against women.”
MA / Esra Solin Dal