ANKARA - HDP MP Züleyha Gülüm asked six ministers and the Vice President, as: ‘’As we stated in the reasoning, do you approve of the attempt to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention when it is clear that withdrawal from the convention will increase male violence?’’

 

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Istanbul MP Züleyha Gülüm submitted parliamentary question to the Speakership of Parliament with a request to be answered by the Minister of Family and Social Services, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Health, the Minister of National Education, the Minister of Health, and the Vice President regarding the attempt to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention.

 

‘It will raise the male-dominated mentality’

 

Emphasizing that the Istanbul Convention, which has been in force in Turkey since 2014, brings the responsibility of states to develop holistic policies to establish a social order free from all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence, the parliamentary question stated: ‘’Parties; It is obliged to develop policies and measures to prevent violence, to establish protective and supportive mechanisms for women, to prosecute the perpetrators effectively and to punish them proportionately, and to do all these with inter-institutional coordination and a holistic political perspective. However, to date, protective and preventive measures regarding violence against women have not been implemented and have not been implemented effectively with integrated policies. The requirements of the Istanbul Convention, which is of critical importance for ensuring the safety of life and preventing all kinds of violence against women and LGBTI+ individuals, were not fulfilled and it was announced that it was withdrawn from the convention with a midnight decree. The termination of the convention, which was defended by a very large segment of the society; It is clear that the right to life of women will be put at risk by the state itself, that it will make them vulnerable to persistent follow-up, forced marriage, harassment and sexual violence, that will fuel discrimination and raise the male-dominated mentality that underlies violence against women.

 

The question Züleyha posed to the Ministers is as follows:

 

‘’As we stated in the reasoning, do you approve of the attempt to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention when it is clear that withdrawal from the convention will increase male violence?’’