Fw: Your support for Women's Rights in Turkiye.

[Nogradi Judit]

----------
> Feladó: Birgit Appelt <wave at xpoint.at>
> Címzett: Anca-Florina Dancanet <women at logon.ro>; Angela Courtney, Charlene Craig (E-Mail) <niwaf at dnet.co.uk>; Anna Pramstrahler (E-Mail) <annapram at orlando.women.it>; Annemiek Goes (E-Mail) <a.goes at transact.nl>; Beausang, Angela (E-Mail) <angela.beausang at roks.se>; Casa delle donne (E-Mail) <casadonn at orlando.women.it>; Chris Corrin (E-Mail) <c.corrin at udcf.gla.ac.uk>; Daniela Kalaja (E-Mail) <daniela at women-center.tirana.al>; Eglantina Gjermeni (E-Mail) <tina at women-center.tirana.al>; Elisabeth Micka (E-Mail) <hera.vrouwenopvang at wxs.nl>; Elke Griemens (E-Mail) <E.Griemens at t-online.de>; E-Mail <profamiliahe at nextra.sk>; Eva-Maria Bordt (E-Mail) <eva.bordt at paritaet.org>; Florentina Alarcón Hita; E-Mail <cavasmadrid at terra.es>; Gabriele Daniel (E-Mail) <kofra at t-online.de>; Gabriella Moscatelli (E-Mail) <info at telefonorosa.org>; E-Mail <nane at posta.net>; Ines Schneider Patty Schneider (E-Mail) <bigteam at snafu.de>; Irene McIntosh (E-Mail) <projects at womensaid.ie>; Irma Christensen (E-Mail) <sekretariat at lokk.dk>; Jean Cuthbert (E-Mail) <swa at swa-1.demon.co.uk>; E-Mail <josch at pt.lu>; Judit Nogradi (E-Mail) <jnogradi at mail.matav.hu>; Jytte Mejnholt <jme44 at helsingor.dk>; Lemme Haldre (E-Mail) <ch.abuse at online.ee>; Lepa Mladjenovic (E-Mail) <awcasv at EUnet.yu>; Margaret Costello (E-Mail) <nnwrkells at eircom.net>; Maria Mochova / Irina Chernenkaya (E-Mail) <syostri at cityline.ru>; Meliha Hubic (E-Mail) <medicaze at miz.ba>; Minati Anand, Erika Kienzler, Susanne Schlizio (E-Mail) <info at zif-frauen.de>; Mojca Dobnikar (E-Mail) <drustvo-sos at drustvo-sos.si>; Nela Pamukovic, Rada Boric, Slavica Kusic, Branka Andukic (ROSA House) (E-Mail) <cenzena at zamir.net>; Nicola Harwin (E-Mail) <n.harwin at wafe.co.uk>; Olena Suslova (E-Mail) <olena at wicc.kiev.ua>; Pascale Franck (E-Mail) <pascale.franck at welzijn.provant.be>; Petra Svecova (E-Mail) <profem at ecn.cz>; Raquel Vieitas Cardoso (E-Mail) <amcvportugal at hotmail.com>; Renata Takac (E-Mail) <renata.takac-pejnovic at zg.tel.hr>; ROKS (E-Mail) <info at roks.se>; Rosa Logar (E-Mail) <rosalogar at magnet.at>; Rossanka Venelinova (E-Mail) <nadja at mbox.cit.bg>; Roula Scoutari (E-Mail) <scoutari at otenet.gr>; Runa Jonsdottir (E-Mail) <stigamot at stigamot.is>; Sandra Sebre (E-Mail) <sebre at acad.latnet.lv>; Sanita Vanaga (E-Mail) <zmey at ac.lza.lv>; Sirkka Liisa Aaltio (E-Mail) <espoon-turvakoti at co.inet.fi>; Sirkka Perttu (E-Mail) <perttu.sm at kolumbus.fi>; Sorina Bumbulut (E-Mail) <artemis at mail.dntcj.ro>; Tove Smaadahl (E-Mail) <ks.sekretariatet at oslo.online.no>; Urszula Nowakowska (E-Mail) <temida at medianet.com.pl>; Viviane Monnier (E-Mail) <fnsf at wanadoo.fr>; Winterholler Marion (E-Mail) <oeffentlichkeit at viertes-frauenhaus-berlin.de>
> Tárgy: WG: Your support for Women's Rights in Turkiye.
> Dátum: 2001. június 11. 13:04
> 
> Dear sisters,
> 
> the women's movement in Turkey asks for our support.
> Please find enclosed their request and how you can support them.
> 
> Best wishes,
> Birgit & Verena
> 
> European Information Centre Against Violence
> WAVE Office
> Bacherplatz 10/4
> A-1050 Vienna
> Austria
> Phone: +43 1 5482720
> Fax: +43 1 5482720-27
> E-mail: wave at xpoint.at
> Web site: http://www.wave-network.org
> 
> *****************************************************************
> 
> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: Need Support [mailto:needsupport at home.com]
> Gesendet: Sonntag, 10. Juni 2001 02:50
> An: wave at xpoint.at
> Betreff: Your support for Women's Rights in Turkiye.
> Wichtigkeit: Hoch
> 
> 
> Dear Friends,
> 
> We, the members of Kadin Kurultayi (The Confederation of Women's NGO's) of
> Turkey,
> and our supporters from throughout the world, are writing for the second
> time
> to ask for your support at both the individual and institutional level on
> the
> crucial gender equality issue outlined below.  Conservative groups
> represented
> by the religious and nationalist parties are trying to block gender equality
> in Turkey even after the Turkish State has signed a declaration supporting
> it.
>  If these groups are successful in blocking women's access to all assets
> acquired
> during marriage, it will establish a dangerous precedent.
> 
> It is imperative we take action as soon as possible, as the Justice
> Commission
> is convening to finalize the draft of the new Civil Law on Monday, 28 May
> 2001.
> 
> We ask you join us, by sending a letter of support to Mr. Omer Izgi, the
> Head
> of the Turkish Parliament <baskan at tbmm.gov.tr> and Mr. Emin Kara, the Head
> of
> the Justice Commission <adlkom at tbmm.gov.tr>. We've prepared a letter of
> support
> entitled "Letter in support of Women's Rights in Turkey" that can be
> automatically
> mailed to the individuals listed above, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS HIT REPLY AND
> SEND.
> 
> In addition, it is  urgent that you forward copies of this email request for
> support to everyone in your community who may be interested.
> 
> We thank you in advance for your support in our struggle.  Turkey must not
> step
> backwards in the critical matter of women's rights and equality.
> 
> Take a minute to send copies of the below letter showing your urgent support
> for gender equality in Turkey,
> 
> ============================================================================
> =======
> To: "Mr. Omer Izgi" <baskan at tbmm.gov.tr>, "Mr. Emin Kara"
> <adlkom at tbmm.gov.tr>
> Subject: A Letter of Support for Women's Rights in Turkey
> 
> Mr. Chairman,
> 
> On May 16, 2001, women from all over Turkey, representing over sixty
> national
> NGO's and various grass roots organizations, came together in Antalya to
> climb
> Mount  Bakirtepe as part of their struggle to ensure that the rights of
> divorced
> women to an equal share of properties gained during marriage is included in
> the
> new Civil Law.  The participants also represented the various groups and
> individuals
> around the World who joined together in support of their cause.  However,
> before
> they even began to climb, these women were besieged with obstacles.  The
> mayor
> of Antalya revoked the permit he had issued based on his assumption that the
> women were going to picnic at the base of the mountain and refused to issue
> a
> permit for their climb. Gendarmes blockaded their route.  Although the
> Turkish
> media directed full attention to the event, the press release was
> intercepted
> by the gendarme. An investigation was immediately initiated by the police
> department
> of Antalya.   Bakirtepe has special meaning for Turkish women because on
> March
> 8, 1994, the 2547 meter peak was summited by Turkish women mountaineers.
> Upon
> reaching the top, they secured their flag, which features the international
> women's
> symbol, and named the peak "the World Women's Peak." In 2001, Turkish women
> chose
> this spot to publicize their struggle to guarantee the rights of women in
> the
> new Civil Code that is currently being debated in Congress and to voice
> their
> plea for support.
> The present Civil Law dates from 1930 and was radical for its time with
> regard
> to the issue of women's rights.  However, it is largely inadequate for
> contemporary
> Turkish society as it does not include an equal division of assets acquired
> during
> the marriage in cases of divorce.   Anticipating entry into the European
> Union,
> Turkey has already promised to adapt a Civil Law by means of a "National
> Program"
> incorporating the necessary revisions to correspond to the criteria
> established
> by the European Union.
> While women represent 51 percent of the population of Turkey, they possess
> only
> 8.3 percent of deeded property and share 10 percent of the GNP.  Most
> Turkish
> women are forced by men of their families to stay at home and not allowed to
> work. They don't have equal access to resources and the majority of them
> lack
> education. Throughout their lives, their labor is appropriated by the men of
> their families. Because they are not protected under Turkish State law, in
> cases
> of divorce, almost all women find themselves in desperate conditions,
> ranging
> from homelessness to lack of money and other resources necessary for them
> and
> their children to survive.  This situation has led numerous women's
> organizations
> in Turkey to work on drafting the new Civil Law since 1994.  New amendments
> have
> been written to remedy existing shortcomings and to guarantee women's human
> rights.
> I can't get rid off this space.The proposed "Family Law" includes amendments
> that are necessary to enforce the rights of women.  In particular, Amendment
> 202, would secure the right of women to an equal share of any holdings,
> investments,
> and possessions acquired after a marriage is contracted, excluding any
> properties
> gained before the marriage, and personal properties gained through
> inheritance,
> etc., at the time of divorce.  In April 2001, the Justice Commission of the
> Turkish
> Parliament convened to enact the new Civil Law.   Amendment 202 was met with
> solid refusal by some members of the Turkish Justice Commission.
> During the review of Amendment 202, representatives of women's groups were
> denied
> the right to contribute to or even observe the proceedings concerning this
> issue.
> The doors of the Justice Commission remained closed to representatives of
> women's
> NGOs who had arrived in Ankara from different regions of the country to
> observe
> the parliamentary discussions about the equal division of marital property.
> Parliamentarians representing the conservative religious party and the
> extreme
> nationalist front are actively opposing this revision.  As an alternative,
> they
> are proposing that the new Civil Law include a "divisional property
> separation."
>  In this alternative only those properties used jointly by husband and wife
> during
> marriage may be subject to division at the time of divorce. All remaining
> assets
> accumulated during a marriage, including bank accounts, businesses,
> non-residential
> properties and other holdings would be excluded from consideration in a
> divorce
> settlement. This alternative proposition limits a woman's claim to any
> residence
> where the couple had lived together, eliminating access to any business
> investments
> and/or any other properties and holdings acquired during marriage,
> exhibiting
> total disregard for the needs of Turkish women and their children.
> The Turkish State has already agreed to legally guarantee equality between
> women
> and men by signing the international agreement for ending All forms of
> Discrimination
> against Women.   Therefore, the standards of the international community
> must
> be reflected in your efforts to promote gender equality.   We expect that
> the
> Republic of Turkey will fulfill its obligations to its citizens, as well as
> to
> the international community as soon as possible.  The decision that will
> take
> place  soon is central to defining the political road along which Turkey
> will
> travel in the future. We trust that you will ensure the rights and equality
> of
> Turkish women and intervene before a dangerous precedent is established by
> the
> religious and nationalist right.
> 
>                               - A Supporter of Women's Rights in Turkey
> 
>