Turkey: Rights groups warn “The world is watching” as women mobilize this weekend

Ahead of nationwide protests against President Erdogan’s decision to pull out of the Istanbul Convention to combat violence against women and domestic violence, Amnesty International launches a “100 days of action” alongside women in Turkey and around the world.

With large protests expected across Turkey this weekend, Amnesty International’s Europe Director, Nils Muižnieks said:

“This weekend and for the weeks and months ahead, women communities across Turkey and around the world will be taking action to reverse this grave threat to their safety and to demand their human rights.

This weekend and for the weeks and months ahead, women across Turkey and around the world will be taking action to reverse this grave threat to their safety

Amnesty International's Europe Director, Nils Muižnieks

“We will be there to demand Turkish authorities reverse their dangerous decision to withdraw from a treaty designed to end violence against women. Withdrawal violates the rights of millions of women and girls in the country and flies in the face of any purported commitment by the government to protect survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.

As the Times Up and MeToo movements made plain, women face similar human rights abuses all around the world

Amnesty International

“The Istanbul Convention is more important now than ever with COVID-19 measures, such as lockdown, leading to a spike in reports of violence against women and girls.

“As the Times Up and MeToo movements made plain, women face similar human rights abuses all around the world. That is why international solidarity is so important and that is why Amnesty movements in more than 80 countries are adding their voice to a call that is growing louder each day. The world is watching.”

BACKGOUND

The Istanbul Convention sets minimum standards on prevention of violence, protection and support for women and girls at risk, and the criminal prosecution of perpetrators.

On Monday, the Turkish government attempted to justify their proposal to pull out of a convention to by claiming it is being used to ‘normalise homosexuality’ which is ‘incompatible with Turkey’s social and family values’. See our response https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/03/turkey-targeting-of-lgbti-people-to-justify-quitting-convention-on-combating-violence-against-women-is-dangerous/

DETAILS OF PROTESTS

27 March Saturday

Istanbul

15.00 Kadıköy Beşiktaş İskelesi

Ankara

17:30 Sakarya cad.

Antalya

18:00 Attalos Maydanı

Çanakkale

15:00 Çanakkale İskele Meydanı

Aydın

12:00 Didim Kent Meydanı Konvoy

17:30 Aydın Kent Meydanı

İzmir

15:00 Konak Vapur İskelesi önü

Sakarya

16:00 AKM Önü

Muğla

16:30 Bodrum, Bodrum Kalesi

Mersin

18:00 Kushimoto Sokağı

Balıkesir

17:00 Ali Hikmet Paşa Meydanı

Yalova

15:00 Cevdet Aydın Parkı

Düzce

15:00 Anıt Park