SP(2005)3776/2

SP(2005)2923

The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report drafted by Emine BOZKURT (PES, NL) on the role of women in Turkey in social, economic and political activities. (Please see the summary of 26/05/2005.) The resolution was adopted by 573 votes to 19, with 32 abstentions.

Women's rights and gender equality are embedded in the Community's basic principles and in much legislation which Turkey has to accept if it is to join the EU. Members emphasised that Turkey's progress in the field of legislation now needs to be implemented in practice.

Parliament acknowledged the positive role played by civil society in accomplishing the recent legislative reforms and recognised that, for democratic changes to be realised, information and mobilisation of the whole political class, civil society, religious communities and the media is needed. The Commission, and the Turkish government, must acknowledge the role of women’s rights organisations as partners of the government and support them and provide them with sufficient funding and to ensure their independence, in line with European Union practice.

Among other concerns is the involvement of Turkish women in politics, which remains weak - only 4.4% of members of parliament are women and around 1% of representatives at local level. Parliament suggests that the political parties should review their party structures and adopt adequate strategies to reach a better balance of women and men in elected assemblies, including positive measures such as quotas.

The protection of women’s rights is still insufficient in practice, especially as regards violence against women. Parliament urged the government to direct more attention to the implementation of legislation, among other things by urgently setting up shelters, supporting initiatives by civil society and providing adequate funds from national and municipal budgets for both government and NGO shelters, as well as mandatory gender- and violence-sensitivity training for public administrators, the police, the judiciary and health and educational personnel.

Parliament condemned instances of polygamy, forced marriage, crimes of tradition, honour crimes and violence against women in general, including sexual harassment at work. It asked the government to seek ways to prevent these crimes, to punish crimes of custom and crimes of honour equally severely and to participate in and organise campaigns for raising public awareness of these issues and to support NGOs’ campaigns on these issues financially.

T6-0287/2005
OJ C 157 06.07.2006, p. 0098-0385 E

Results of vote in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report drafted by Emine BOZKURT (PES, NL) on the role of women in Turkey in social, economic and political activities. (Please see the summary of 26/05/2005.) The resolution was adopted by 573 votes to 19, with 32 abstentions.

Women's rights and gender equality are embedded in the Community's basic principles and in much legislation which Turkey has to accept if it is to join the EU. Members emphasised that Turkey's progress in the field of legislation now needs to be implemented in practice.

Parliament acknowledged the positive role played by civil society in accomplishing the recent legislative reforms and recognised that, for democratic changes to be realised, information and mobilisation of the whole political class, civil society, religious communities and the media is needed. The Commission, and the Turkish government, must acknowledge the role of women’s rights organisations as partners of the government and support them and provide them with sufficient funding and to ensure their independence, in line with European Union practice.

Among other concerns is the involvement of Turkish women in politics, which remains weak - only 4.4% of members of parliament are women and around 1% of representatives at local level. Parliament suggests that the political parties should review their party structures and adopt adequate strategies to reach a better balance of women and men in elected assemblies, including positive measures such as quotas.

The protection of women’s rights is still insufficient in practice, especially as regards violence against women. Parliament urged the government to direct more attention to the implementation of legislation, among other things by urgently setting up shelters, supporting initiatives by civil society and providing adequate funds from national and municipal budgets for both government and NGO shelters, as well as mandatory gender- and violence-sensitivity training for public administrators, the police, the judiciary and health and educational personnel.

Parliament condemned instances of polygamy, forced marriage, crimes of tradition, honour crimes and violence against women in general, including sexual harassment at work. It asked the government to seek ways to prevent these crimes, to punish crimes of custom and crimes of honour equally severely and to participate in and organise campaigns for raising public awareness of these issues and to support NGOs’ campaigns on these issues financially.

T6-0287/2005

Debate in Parliament

A6-0175/2005

A6-0175/2005

The committee adopted the own-initiative report by Emine BOZKURT (PES, NL) on the role of women in Turkey in social, economic and political activities. The report emphasised that respecting human rights, including women’s rights, was a sine qua non for membership of the EU, and called on the Commission to make the issue of human rights, including women's rights, "central to the agenda for the negotiations with Turkey ". While commending Turkey 's recent legislative reforms, the committee expressed concern over the lack of progress on the implementation of legislation in the field of women's rights and underlined the need for "full and effective implementation of the new legislation".

The report emphasised the key role of civil society in pushing for the recent reforms. MEPs believed that the entire political class as well as grassroots organisations, religious communities and the media must be involved if democratic change was to be achieved.

The report also raised the issue of violence against women, and called on the Turkish Government to take action to protect women at risk, such as providing easily accessible healthcare and legal support and protection. Among other concerns were the involvement of Turkish women in politics, which remains weak, (only 4.4% of members of parliament are women and around 1% of representatives at local level), access to education, and the low number of women active on the labour market.

The committee urged Turkey to ratify Additional Protocol No. 12 to the European Convention on Human Rights which deals with preventing discrimination. Finally, MEPs said that they intended to monitor the situation of women in Turkey closely and report on it annually through the EP Women's Rights Committee, and they called on the Commission to do the same.

PE357.842