MEDIA / Announcements / Message for 8 March International Women's Day
Message for 8 March International Women's Day
Equal and fair representation of women in every field of social life is one of the key priorities in which our efforts continue in EU accession process.
During our accession process, in which Turkey has gone through a tremendous transformation, important legislative amendments have been made to ensure that women have equal rights and opportunities with men. The principle of equality between men and women has been further strengthened and positive discrimination for women has been guaranteed in the Constitution. The Turkish Civil Code has been renewed and the Committee on Equality of Opportunity for Women and Men was established in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Many legal arrangements have also been simultaneously adopted in order to remove the obstacles women face in their work life and to increase women's participation in the economy.
The Law on the Protection of the Family and Prevention of Violence against Women has introduced important legal arrangements to combat violence against women. Furthermore, Turkey not only took a leading role in the drafting process of the Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe, the first internationally binding legal arrangement establishing a legal framework for the prevention of violence against women, but was also the first country to sign the Convention.
With the aim of fully implementing legislative amendments, a series of comprehensive projects were realised within the framework of Turkey-EU Financial Cooperation, in areas ranging from monitoring of gender equality to the construction of shelters and enhancement of schooling rates of girls.
At the Directorate for EU Affairs, 52% of the personnel and 72% of the directors are women, reflecting an awareness of equality on its personnel structure. We would like to extend our sincere congratulations on the occasion of International Women's Day, believing that the world would be fairer and a more agreeable and prosperous place as women assume their rightful place in all areas of social life with equal rights.