Prime Minister Erdoğan joins women campaign

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed a declaration against violence targeting women yesterday ahead of the launch of an awareness-raising campaign.

The campaign, which will call on male lawmakers to wear a white ribbon, will officially kick off tomorrow in a joint effort by the Family and Social Policies Ministry and Parliament’s Gender Equality Commission. The message of the campaign is violence against women is a “violation of human rights and the well-being of society.”

The signatories of the declaration will wear a white ribbon in Parliament to show their support and single out those who shied away from taking a stance in protecting women from violence.

Cooperation

Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Şahin and Gender Equality Commission Chairwoman Azize Sibel Gönül initiated the campaign this year to push male deputies to lead by example to spread awareness in society and support efforts to stamp out violence against women.

Signing the pledge declares “as men, we understand that violence against women is a threat to the well-being of society and is inexcusable. Women are our friends, sisters and mothers. They are our future. We will not be mere spectators. We must unite to end violence against women. We will participate in ending this violence.”

Nov. 25 was designated as International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women by the United Nations in 1999. Women’s rights activists have been using the same date to highlight the issue since 1981.

In a separate development, the Ministry of Health has removed “family planning” from their list of designated duties and responsibilities, thus eliminating the Directorate of Children’s Health and Family Planning. Erdoğan has previously advised Turkish families to have at least three children.