‘İstanbul Convention is Women’s Right to Life’

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After Felicity Party Konya MP and Youth Branches Chair Abdulkadir Karaduman claimed that İstanbul Convention and the Law on Protecting Family and Preventing Violence against Women should be repealed, women have denounced the attempts to terminate the Council of Europe (CoE) Convention on preventing violence against women and domestic violence.

Accordingly, actress Deniz Türkali, journalist İrem Afşin and academic Prof. Dr. Feride Acar have spoken to bianet about these recent attacks targeting the İstanbul Convention and its articles protecting women.

'Men should also lay claim to the convention'

Criticizing the attacks against the convention, actress Deniz Türkali has stated the following in brief:

"Disregarding women and attempting to increase the pressures on them day by day have become a part of daily life in every area. Everyone who has a conscience and reason, even if they are men, should lay claim to the measures of İstanbul Convention regarding women.

"The empty objections of the ones who support slavery by falling back upon the name of family should not even be taken seriously. Women resist against all types of violence and pressure by getting stronger, they will keep on doing so. I respond to the objections of these pathetic people with a laughter.

"When it is so apparent that they are afraid of women and womanhood and they manifest how pathetic they are with such objections every day, we are getting stronger and resolute with each passing day. And we will, of course, be a close follower of the implementation of İstanbul Convention."

'Convention means women's right to life'

Journalist İrem Afşin has underlined that the convention is not just "a simple signed document", it also means "right to life" for women:

"The convention is a highly effective document for preventing violence against women, protecting their right to life, penalizing all types of violence and its perpetrators and ensuring justice for women.

"This convention is very effective in protecting most women and children from violence. To tell you the truth, I am of the opinion that we now face with the dominant mentality's language and actions "against women", which have been continuing for years, but from which they have always been taking a step back thanks to public pressure. We know these attack very well.

"In this country, İstanbul Convention and laws protecting the rights of women are not properly implemented any way, this country does not protect women. At a time when the number of femicides increases every month and we demand justice, the government and political discourse confront us with such weird, unacceptable reactions."

Concluding her remarks, İrem Afşin has stated, "However, I think that women and the organized women's movement will raise their voices. Women do not give up their acquired rights that easily."

"But, women do not keep silent any more. Something 'the power-dominant order' dislikes the most. We women know how to work for struggle of living together and raise our voices. And yes, if needs be, we will pay personal and collective prices, but we will not give up on the İstanbul Convention or our laws protecting women," Afşin has concluded his remarks.

'Society will lay claim to İstanbul Convention'

Lastly, former GREVIO Chair Prof. Dr. Feride Acar from Middle East Technical University (METU) has described the criticisms against İstanbul Convention as "unjust" and stated the following:

"For one thing, it is a highly unnecessary, unjust and improper reaction. İstanbul Convention aims to prevent violence targeting women and penalizing the ones inflicting that violence. There is nothing in the convention to stand up against as a society. The society will lay claim to the convention.

"And the state itself became a party to this convention with these thoughts. If some circles say, 'Tolerate violence against women and do not punish it', I do not know how to respond to this in today's world. Such a thought is unacceptable in today's world and civilization." (EMK/SD)