Progress regarding Turkey’s accession to the EU.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

1999

2004

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

2003/2204(INI)

26 January 2004

OPINION

of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security, and Defence Policy

Regarding the progress towards Turkey’s accession.

(COM(2003) 0676 – 2003/2204(INI))

Draftswoman: Anna Karamanou

HISTORY OF THE PROCEDURE

At its meeting on November 4, 2003, the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality appointed Anna Karamanou as the rapporteur.

At its meeting on December 4, 2003, the committee examined the draft opinion.

At the meeting on January 20, 2004, the committee unanimously approved the following proposals.

The following Members of Parliament were present during the vote: Anna Karamanou (chair and rapporteur), Marianne Eriksson (vice-chair), Uma Aaltonen, Regina Bastos, Lone Dybkjær, Lissy Gröner, Mary Honeyball, Christa Klaß, Ródi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, Astrid Lulling, Thomas Mann, Maria Martens, Elizabeth Montfort (substitute for Robert Goodwill), Christa Prets, Amalia Sartori, Olle Schmidt, Patsy Sörensen, Joke Swiebel, and Elena Valenciano Martínez-Orozco.

PROPOSALS

The Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality calls on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy, which is responsible for the substance, to include the following elements in its draft resolution:

• Having regard to Articles 6 and 49 of the Treaty on European Union,
• Having regard to the conclusions of the Helsinki Summit of 10-11 December 1999,
• Having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,
• Having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women,

1. Welcomes Turkey’s efforts in the field of women’s rights and gender equality but expresses its regret that the national Turkish body “General Directorate for the Status and Condition of Women” still lacks legal status and, as a result, the necessary financial and human resources; strongly encourages Turkey to take further steps in its commitment to promoting equal treatment and equal opportunities between women and men;
2. Expresses concern that domestic violence and other forms of violence against women continue to be widespread; urges Turkey to provide full legal protection, judicial and financial assistance to victims, as well as shelters and similar structures, which are currently almost nonexistent; calls on the Commission to continue to closely monitor developments in this area;
3. Expresses concern about the continued acts of violence, often of a sexual nature, by state security personnel against women, and notes with concern that these acts primarily affect Kurdish women; calls on Turkey to vigorously prosecute such acts of violence and take all necessary measures to effectively put an end to similar incidents;
4. Calls on Turkey to establish gender equality within the framework of the sixth reform package of the Penal Code – Article 51 of the general provisions – which relates to crimes committed under extreme provocation and applies to offenses traditionally considered to be against virtue; furthermore, calls for an end to the practice of imposing reduced sentences in cases of “honor crimes” based on customs and tradition (Article 462), stressing that such crimes should be considered first-degree murders; at the same time, calls for the term “virginity” to be removed from the provisions of the Penal Code concerning rape;
5. Notes with satisfaction that life expectancy for women has improved significantly, but condemns the fact that Turkey still belongs to the group of countries (together with Romania and Bulgaria) that allocate the lowest percentage (between 2.9% and 5%) of their budget to healthcare expenditures;
6. Condemns the fact that the implementation of the provisions of the new Civil Code, which allows for the equal distribution of assets acquired during marital cohabitation, has been very limited;
7. Urges Turkey to implement Article 8 of the European Social Charter, which it has ratified, regarding the right of female workers to maternity protection;
8. Notes with concern that the representation of women in elected bodies and in government remains low and strongly urges Turkey to increase its efforts to ensure greater representation of women in political and economic decision-making.
9. Supports the view that equal access for women to education is a central prerequisite for greater participation of women in political and economic decision-making processes, and calls on Turkey to significantly strengthen the measures it takes to effectively promote women in all areas of education, particularly in higher education and vocational training.