20/06/2025 | Writer: Kaos GL
Members of Parliament from the DEM Party and EMEP, along with women’s and LGBTI+ organizations, held a press conference at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey regarding the report of the Parliamentary Commission on Violence Against Women.
Members of the DEM Party, EMEP, and civil society organizations held a press conference today at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey concerning the recently discussed report of the Parliamentary Commission on Violence Against Women.
Many civil society organizations were present at the press conference, including the Women for Women’s Human Rights – New Ways (WWHR), Mor Çatı Women’s Shelter Foundation, Women’s Solidarity Foundation, We Will Stop Femicide Platform (KCDP), Ankara Rainbow Families Association (GALADER), Kaos GL, Red Umbrella, UniKuir, 17 May Association, Pink Life, the Contemporary Lawyers Association, and the Women’s Time Association.
Adalet Kaya: “We object to the targeting of LGBTI+ people”
The press conference began with a speech by DEM Party Diyarbakır MP Adalet Kaya. Kaya emphasized that LGBTI+ people are subjected to various forms of violence and stated that they had wanted these issues to be addressed throughout the commission’s work:“We had previously stated the need to develop solutions for this issue. However, the report contains nothing about it. Women with multiple identities and LGBTI+ people have been completely ignored. Individuals have been rendered invisible. One of the issues we most strongly object to is the concept of the family. Of course, we are not categorically against the concept of family, but as a party, we believe that the family must be based on democratic structures. We oppose the targeting of women and LGBTI+ people under concepts such as the ‘Family Year.’ The report prioritizes the issue of family over the right to life of women. In particular, LGBTI+ people are not even recognized as citizens. We would like to emphasize this point; our objections are precisely directed at these issues.”
Özgül Saki: “The commission was being used to promote the Family Year”
DEM Party Istanbul MP Özgül Saki also spoke at the press conference. Saki stated that hatred toward LGBTI+ people is being institutionally fueled and stressed that the Parliamentary Commission on Violence Against Women was being used to promote the Family Year agenda:“Our struggle had become impossible to ignore, and at that point, the commission was formed. But with every step, we saw that the AKP-MHP government was using this commission to promote their so-called ‘Family Year’ program. They tried to legitimize everything they wanted to implement through that program within the commission as well.
In the draft report, women are portrayed only as victims—defined as passive figures incapable of doing anything. They are not treated as subjects, but rather as individuals who can only be spoken for by others. Due to this perspective, the commission is headed by a man. Yet women are fully aware of their own issues and are actively fighting against these policies of oppression and violence every second.”
“The commission ignores LGBTI+ people but legitimizes those who incite hatred”
Saki explained that it was not possible to discuss hate crimes and violence against LGBTI+ people within the commission:“Whenever we mentioned LGBTI+, it was brushed aside with phrases like ‘the people you’re referring to.’ They avoided even saying the term LGBTI+. This level of erasure, this level of denial, was blatant. Still, we spoke openly within the commission. Inequality is already at an extreme level due to the fatwas of the Directorate of Religious Affairs. They are fueling hatred, and although we repeatedly pointed this out, they continued to deepen this process. At the same time, this commission assigns roles to these very institutions in the fight against gender-based violence and for gender equality. It refuses to acknowledge LGBTI+ people, turning a blind eye to them—yet it legitimizes the very structures and institutions that systematically incite hatred.”
Sevda Karaca: “We oppose this program that erases women and LGBTI+ people”
EMEP Gaziantep MP Sevda Karaca also emphasized that the demands of women and LGBTI+ people have been ignored:“In every commission report prepared since 2010, the demands and proposals put forth by the women’s movement, the LGBTI+ movement, and our own struggle have filled many pages. But now, all of that has been cast aside. This accumulation of work has been turned into an increasingly aggressive attack program under the ‘Family 10-Year Plan.’ Once again, we remind everyone that our rights to equality must be guaranteed. All of this is being implemented as part of the ‘Family 10-Year Plan.’ Today, we oppose this program that ignores and seeks to erase women and LGBTI+ people altogether. For this reason, we want to emphasize: since 2011, we have known what is coming, we have discussed it, and we have fought against it. Today, just as they seek to add a new link to their chain of attacks through every new commission, we too must add a new link to our chain of resistance.”
“Turkey must rejoin the Istanbul Convention”
Representatives of the We Will Stop Femicide Platform and the Women for Women’s Human Rights Association also spoke at the press conference, drawing attention to the increase in violence against women and LGBTI+ people following Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention.A representative of Women for Women’s Human Rights stated:
“We already have an international treaty that clearly outlines how to combat violence against women: the Istanbul Convention. The methods for combating violence are explicitly stated in this convention. All the necessary tools are listed. Despite this, Turkey unjustly withdrew from the Istanbul Convention. If violence against women is to be effectively addressed, Turkey must rejoin the Istanbul Convention and implement it fully and without exception.”
Tags: human rights, women, life
