07/10/2024 | Writer: Kaos GL
The Youth Organizations Forum has released a position paper on the Ministry of Family and Social Services' “Vision Document and Action Plan for the Protection and Strengthening of the Family,” raising concerns about its implications for women’ and LGBTI+ rights.
The Youth Organizations Forum (GoFor) has released a position paper on the Ministry of Family and Social Services' “Vision Document and Action Plan for the Protection and Strengthening of the Family,” with the aim of raising concerns about its implications for women and LGBTI+ rights.
The position paper, prepared by various youth and civil society groups including the Anlayış için Gençlik Derneği (Youth for Understanding Association), European Students Forum, Birlikte Yaşam ve Sosyal Tasarım Derneği (Social Design and Life Together Association), Young LGBTI+ Association, Kaos GL Association, Youth Assembly of Nilüfer Community Council, and UniKuir Association, criticizes the Family Action Plan as a product of the government’s anti-women and anti-LGBTI+ stance. It draws parallels with the rising anti-gender movements in countries like Hungary, Russia, Poland, and Georgia, noting that the plan reflects a political agenda that undermines the rights of women and LGBTI+ individuals.
“The current political climate fosters polarization against women and LGBTI+s”
The paper highlights that the current political climate in Turkey fosters polarization against women and LGBTI+ persons, especially following the country’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention. It accuses the government of exploiting this polarization to legitimize its “pro-family” approach.
One of the key concerns is the vague language used in the Action Plan, with terms such as “harmful movements threatening the family” and “global desexualisation projects,” which are interpreted as code for anti-LGBTI+ policies. The paper claims that such language glorifies “national and moral values” while framing LGBTI+ identities as a threat. Additionally, the involvement of the Presidency of Religious Affairs and other government ministries in combating these so-called threats suggests a systematic effort to institutionalize anti-LGBTI+ sentiment.
The position paper also criticizes the Action Plan for failing to address the real problems facing LGBTI+ youth within families. It argues that the plan is disconnected from the diverse experiences of young people and ignores the specific struggles of LGBTI+ youth and women within the family structure. Instead of offering inclusive support, the document appears to perpetuate the exclusion and marginalization of these groups, signaling that the government's repressive stance towards LGBTI+ organizations and individuals is likely to persist.
Tags: human rights, women
