Law schools mandated to include courses on ‘violence against women’

ANKARA

In a move to tackle violence against women, law faculties at Turkish universities will undergo a comprehensive review to ensure that the pressing issue is addressed in the curricula.

The Council of Higher Education (YÖK), in cooperation with the Family and Social Services Ministry and universities, will identify law faculties lacking courses on violence against women. Faculties without such courses will be identified between May and June 2025. From September to December, efforts will be made to integrate these topics into their curricula.

The initiative is part of the ministry’s 2025 Action Plan on Combating Violence Against Women, which focuses on four key pillars: Access to justice and legislation, policy coordination, protective and preventative services and social awareness.

In addition to higher education reforms, a nationwide survey will assess university students’ attitudes and perceptions regarding violence against women. The survey, designed in partnership with relevant institutions, will be accessible through university student information systems.

Furthermore, a symposium showcasing academic studies on violence against women will be organized to foster scholarly engagement on the issue.

Efforts to combat violence against women will also extend to preschool, primary and secondary education. Content focused on equality, family communication and preventing violence will be included in both compulsory and elective courses to nurture healthier future generations by raising awareness about respect for individual differences, personal boundaries, communication skills, emotion regulation and conflict resolution.

For younger students, developmental guidance services will emphasize topics such as seeking help, anger management and recognizing personal boundaries through classroom activities, seminars and educational publications.

Secondary school students will receive specific training on cyber violence, tolerating criticism and resolving conflicts peacefully.

Parents, teachers and school administrators will also be actively involved. Seminars, conferences and publications on topics such as neglect, abuse awareness, anger management and preventing violence will be expanded to create a community-wide impact.

Vocational and technical secondary schools will incorporate specialized training on violence prevention for students studying child development and education.

The initiative comes amid alarming statistics, with 276 women killed in Türkiye in the first 10 months of 2024 alone, according to officials.