Statement of Turkey at the 2016 WPS Debate
general
Unfortunately, today the severe effects of conflicts in various regions on women and girls still constitute a significant challenge that needs to be addressed by the international community. Furthermore, our world is now facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the Second World War, with an increasing influx of displaced populations due to protracted conflicts and lack of security. That causes even further difficulties to vulnerable groups, including women and girls. Yet, it was promising to see that gender equality and women and girls’ empowerment emerged as an overarching theme of the commitments made at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in May. It will be equally important to transform such commitments into action.
Participation
The horrific acts perpetrated against women and girls by terrorist organizations, such as Da’esh and Boko Haram, require a comprehensive approach to eliminating the root causes of the problem. That approach should include women’s equal and full participation as active agents in the prevention and resolution of conf licts, peacebuilding and peacekeeping. Member States should vigorously pursue and ensure women’s equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security. Our recent history om conflict settlement includes success stories of women who have played a crucial role to that end.
SGBV
On the other hand, in accordance with resolution 1325 (2000), all actors should take special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence, particularly rape and other forms of sexual abuse, in situations of armed conflict. Coordinated and consolidated efforts are also necessary to prevent women and girls from becoming victims of human trafficking.
IMplementation
Turkey actively promotes the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) in international platforms such as the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and NATO. Furthermore, we support the empowerment and well-being of women and girls in various emergency, conflict or post-conflict situations through our comprehensive development assistance programme. The projects we carry out in Afghanistan and Somalia, particularly in the fields of education and health care, are concrete examples of our efforts to that end.
Turkey also exerts every effort to provide security and safety to Syrian women and girls who have fled the conflict in Syria. Today, Turkey hosts more than 2.7 million Syrians. We have provided Syrians with temporary protection status and enabled their access to the Turkish health system. So far, more than 170,000 Syrian babies have been born in medical facilities inside the temporary protection centres in Turkey. In those centres, we have taken steps to enable a gender- sensitive sheltering mechanism.
HUman Rights PArticipation
Multiple initiatives and programmes have been established to ensure prevention, participation, protection and education for women and girls. As an example, between 2013 and 2015 Turkey’s humanitarian aid programme on eliminating and responding to gender-based violence for Syrian women and girls was conducted by the Ministry of Family and Social Policies, in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund. Similar programmes regarding Syrian women and girls in Turkey will continue in the coming period. We believe that women and girls will have an important role to play in rebuilding Syria’s future.