{"id":28817,"date":"2016-11-18T17:48:46","date_gmt":"2016-11-18T17:48:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.firdevstalkturkey.com\/?p=28817"},"modified":"2016-11-18T17:48:46","modified_gmt":"2016-11-18T17:48:46","slug":"turkey-needs-to-uphold-its-childrens-human-rights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.firdevstalkturkey.com\/turkey-needs-to-uphold-its-childrens-human-rights\/","title":{"rendered":"Turkey needs to uphold its children\u2019s human rights"},"content":{"rendered":"
The 18th<\/sup> of November is marked as the European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.<\/p>\n On that day, the Council of Europe, in which Turkey is a founding member, aims to raise public awareness of sexual exploitation and abuse of children and promote discussion on prevention and elimination of abuse.<\/p>\n The Council of Europe\u2019s Lanzarote Convention<\/a> on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, was signed in 2007 and ratified in 2011 by Turkey.<\/p>\n The Lanzarote Convention is legally binding. Turkey is obliged to criminalize all forms of sexual abuse of children and to prevent these crimes, and protect the victims.<\/p>\n On the day when everyone else in Europe is discussing the ways of reinforcing the protection of children, including those made more vulnerable by the refugee crisis, Turkey has been preoccupied with a government bill allowing people who have been imprisoned for statutory rape of an underage girl to go free, providing they marry the victim.<\/p>\n Causing angry scenes among opposition legislators, the amendment proposed by the ruling party would give amnesty to men imprisoned for statutory rape since 2005, when the law governing child sexual abuse was brought closer to the European norms.<\/p>\n The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) brought the controversial motion to Parliament at a late-night session on 17 November.<\/p>\n The proposal caused outrage among the opposition Republican People\u2019s Party (CHP) and The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputies. By forcing an open ballot, the opposition avoided its passage into law. The government now plans to bring the bill to Parliament again on the 22nd<\/sup> of November.<\/p>\n CHP deputies say it will encourage forced underage marriages.<\/p>\n Nebahat Akkoc, the founder of KAMER<\/a> Foundation, campaigning for women\u2019s rights, expressed concerns that it would legitimise child abuse in general. She told Bianet<\/a> that the bill would exacerbate Turkey\u2019s \u201calready acute rape culture\u201d.<\/p>\n The Justice Ministry\u2019s own figures have shown a 400 % increase in child sexual abuse cases in 2015.<\/p>\n In this year alone, several child abuse scandals came into light, including the one<\/a> allegedly involving a religious foundation with close links to the government.<\/p>\n The government has consistently rejected all criticism that it was lenient against abusers and tried to cover up allegations by imposing news black-outs.<\/p>\n