Turkey has only 145 shelters for 41.4 million women

"We want women's shelters" (Photo: sendika.org)

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There are only 145 women's shelters in Turkey with a capacity of 3,482 people, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) MP Ali Şeker has stated, citing the Presidency Communications Center's (CİMER) response to his information request.

In other words, there is less than one place per 10,000 women in the country's shelters, he noted. Turkey has a population of 83.1 million, with 41.3 million women, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat). 

"This capacity must be increased immediately," Şeker said.

Also, metropolitan, provincial and district municipalities have a total of 32 "women's guesthouses" with the capacity of hosting 703 people, the CİMER stated. The Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services 110 guest houses with a 2,717-people capacity.

Although the metropolitan municipalities and municipalities of provinces with a pıpulation more than 100,000 have to open a guesthouse for women and children according to Article 14 of the Municipal Law, the 30 metropolitan municipalities have only nine guesthouses, which showed the reluctancy in the fight against violence on women, according to Şeker.

The CİMER also noted that more guesthouses were needed, considering the provisions of the law and a large number of applications, Şeker said. However, he said, a party that has been in power for 18 years should have taken steps rather than evaluating the situation.

Also commenting on the recent debate about the İstanbul Convention, Şeker said that "some circles want the annulment of the convention to make women isolated against violence."

"The intention to terminate the Istanbul Convention is the reflection of ignoring violence against women and increasing feminicides. The government should change this perspective and fulfill the need to be a social state in combating violence against women," he remarked. (EMK/VK)