Paylaş
1. INTRODUCTION The primary aim of this study is to contribute to the elimination of gender-based violence against women, which is one of the barriers preventing women from participating equally in all areas of life. The fundamental condition in combating Early and Forced Marriages (EFM), one of the most severe forms of gender-based violence against women, is to ensure a multi-faceted approach with inter-institutional cooperation and coordination. In our country, violence against women has been a prominent issue on the agenda of the women’s movement since the late 1980s and has a history of over 30 years of struggle. Turkey has signed many international conventions aimed at preventing violence against women and has made significant legal arrangements domestically. Many ministries have developed projects on this issue and included combating violence in their strategic plans. One of Turkey’s recent achievements is the entry into force of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, known as the Istanbul Convention. The enactment of Law No. 6284 on the Protection of the Family and Prevention of Violence Against Women in 2012 is a significant step in combating violence and promoting gender equality. On the other hand, the transformation of the General Directorate on the Status of Women (GDSW) into a directorate under the Ministry of Family and Social Policies in 2011 has significantly altered the direction of communication previously established with women’s organizations. The state has assumed the responsibility of ensuring gender equality and eliminating violence against women, as stipulated by Article 10 of the Constitution, national legislation, and international conventions. It is necessary to incorporate this responsibility into the practices of public institutions and to establish cooperation between public institutions and women’s organizations working towards this goal. From the perspective of public institutions, the Prime Ministry Circular No. 2006/17 and the Ministry of Interior Circular No. 2007/8, which outline the path for public institutions to combat violence, are the most fundamental regulations that mobilize governorships. Turkey has accumulated significant experience in preparing and implementing action plans that determine the duties and responsibilities of state institutions in combating violence against children and women. Under the coordination of GDSW, the first National Action Plan on Combating Domestic Violence Against Women (2007-2010), the second National Action Plan on Combating Violence Against Women (2012-2015), and the third National Action Plan on Combating Violence Against Women (2016-2020) were prepared. The Ministry of Family and Social Policies’ General Directorate of Child Services also prepared the National Strategy Document and Action Plan on Children’s Rights (2013-2017). In line with international conventions to which our country is a party, our national legislation, and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the General Directorate on the Status of Women has initiated preparatory work for the “Strategy Document and Action Plan on Combating Early and Forced Marriages” covering the period 2018-2023. However, the “Strategy Document and Action Plan on Combating Early and Forced Marriages,” finalized with contributions from public institutions and organizations, universities, non-governmental organizations, and international and regional organizations, has not yet been implemented. Additionally, GDSW has initiated the process of preparing “Emergency Provincial Action Plans for Combating Early and Forced Marriages (2018-2023).” The aim is to combat early and forced marriages in our country, develop policies in cooperation with all parties for the empowerment of girls, and ensure cooperation with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the adaptation and implementation of the National Action Plan at the local level.
You can view or download the “Workshop Report on Increasing Cooperation with NGOs in Combating Early and Forced Marriages in Turkey, November 17-18, 2018”; Workshop Report on Increasing Cooperation with NGOs in Combating Early and Forced Marriages in Turkey
